99 Days
by Ruthy4vrSmoaked
Summary: Hermione needed some time away from loving couples and her lonely reality. Draco was stuck with a non-refundable pre-honeymoon cruise and decided not to let it go to waste. 99 days on board of the ship Arcadia. Peace, sun and sea. That was the plan.
1. Prologue

**She needed some time away from loving couples and her lonely reality.**

 **He was stuck with a non-refundable pre-honeymoon and decided not to let it go to waste.**

 **99 days on board of the ship Arcadia. Peace, sun and sea. That was the plan.**

 **Expect smut, adventure, bantering, romance, during a journey of 99 days at sea.**

 **My beta partner for this story is again my amazing Magzillasaurus, which for I'm so grateful to have at my side.**

 **Disclaimer: Aside from the plot, all the rest belongs to J.K. Rowling, God bless her HP world.**

* * *

 **Prologue**

* **Hermione** *

"We should move on, go our separate ways." Ron's words didn't hurt as they should, they were merely the confirmation of what her heart already knew, also him admitting the truth about their relationship. The fire that used to exist, extinguished with the years. It was not for lack of trying, enough attempts to reawaken it were chanced.

A romantic trip to Rome, a place none of them had ever visited. The romance was forced.

Finding a cosy place to live, far enough from everything but not too far away to create distance between friends and family. Both ended with working long hours or using excuses to avoid being alone, on their own.

Their last resort, relationship therapy with a Healer. Even that man ran out of alternatives.

None with the desired outcome.

In the end, there was nothing left but to throw in the towel, "We should move on…" today almost to the day, three years ago.

It was hard to admit, but she considered this a personal failure. Ron's touch, on the latest, a sensation she endured instead of enjoying like you're supposed to - though she attempted not to show her apathy. To Ron and the other men who followed him.

Up to the point that Hermione started to believe the problem lied with her.

Ron was now happily married, his nuptials had been one for the romantic novels. Hermione was happy for him, but also slightly jealous. This kind of love, one Ron deserved, without doubt, was the type she wanted for herself.

To be the centre of one man's focus, his genuine feelings out there for anyone to see. In return, her undeniable pride of having this man at her side. The yearning to go home so impossible to ignore and which would force her to stop working long hours at the office. Neither Ron or any other bloke brought it to her.

She was tired of seeking her fairytale. She was tired of resigning her own needs for another man's, hoping that this time, she finally found _the one_.

Tired, above all, of seeing everyone in her inner circle to settle down, get married and beam with the ultimate happiness. She needed to take some time off, away from her reality.

-oOo-

"Welcome Hermione, I'm so happy to see you've come." Harry was exhilarated, celebrating the birth of Albus, his second son. He invited every close friend and their partners to the Burrow, in a similar way to the Christening of a muggle baby.

He rubbed her arms, in a familiar way, comforting. Seeing his two best friends break apart, had hurt him. Not that he was blind to the reality, it had been visible to anyone who wanted to see. It just it broke their special bond.

Susan joined their circle, a woman who loved Ron as he should be loved; Harry saw Hermione accept Susan as the perfect replacement and he was even impressed with how his best friend refrained from lashing out or causing any of the typical fuss between exes.

Instead, she gave Ron the little push he needed, to propose to Susan; and Harry admired her for it.

He saw her date a few acquaintances, hating at a certain point the ability to foresee if the wizard was or not the one. There was something about Hermione, and the way she looked at the man that tipped Harry off - it started with number two post-Ron as he began to call it. She was currently at number six, or better said, she kicked number six out of her life a day or two ago.

His best friend was not the type of woman meant to be alone, but he was out of suggestions. Yet, he invited a wizard or two to the party, single men, wishing that one of them could catch her eye. Harry knew better than to warn Hermione of this fact, the last time he came very close to receiving one of her famous hexes.

Internally, he sighed and hoped for the best.

"Why wouldn't I come, Harry? It's an important celebration, the birth of your youngest son, not one of the countless remembrances of a war we all would love to forget." She kissed him heartily. "You haven't invited any blind dates, have you?"

"Only a few new colleagues from work, not for you…" He showed his hands, "Just me, being friendly and make them feel more welcome on the team."

"Hmm." She saw through his game, but it wasn't the time to throw a fit. This was a celebration, after all. "I want to talk to you later, after the party." In the meantime, she waved at Neville, with Hannah at his side. The look the pair exchanged caused a new pang in her heart, but she ignored it for the time being.

"Something I should worry about?"

"No, relax. Just letting you know of a plan of mine, exactly to prevent you from worrying about me." She pushed him forward to join the gathering. Ron came to her, kissing both cheeks before engulfing her in a Ron-hug as she labelled it. "Hello, Ron. Where's Susan?"

"Over there, talking to Billy and Fleur." The goofy smile plastered on his face, pointing out to where his wife stood, "Hermione, I'm going to be a father!" He couldn't contain his enthusiasm at the prospect.

"That is wonderful news, Ron. The family is expanding once more, I'm so happy for you." She did feel genuinely happy for him, hugging him fiercely. And still, in the back of her mind, a new stab. The thought _where am I now?_ colliding with her belief that she really needed to put more than some distance between all the happy faces. Her heart squirmed in longing, she wanted a family. She had a career instead, and a cold house to go home to. _It's time I leave._

Hermione greeted every Weasley and their partners, cuddled with their siblings, politely talked to the two newest faces - _Sorry Harry, not working_ \- laughed, ate and celebrated. Apart from the strangers, this was her family, she loved them and would die to protect them. That she felt an emptiness in her life, wasn't their fault. It was her failure. Miles of distance indeed, hoping that a change of scenery would shift her mindset; she hated above all, to feel such a dark mood.

-oOo-

In the end, only their inner circle remained behind. Harry and Ginny - while James and Albus slept in Ginny's old room; Ron with his Susan, whom he couldn't stop pampering, and the couple, Arthur and Molly.

"Hermione, spill the beans, what are you going to do?" Harry's curiosity could take that much.

"A cruise. Ninety-nine days at sea aboard the Arcadia doing thirty-one destinations in twenty-three countries. P&O is offering a cruise around the world, and I'm going to indulge myself."

"If you get bored…" Ginny couldn't see herself jailed inside of a floating object, surrounded by water at every side. The choice of length and what it meant as a whole, didn't sound completely strange, knowing that Hermione was choking in the way she lived her life.

"I'll go off-board and take the next plane back to the UK." She set the leaflets on the table, "Aside from Europe, they are docking at nearly every continent. I'll see a piece of the world, and force my mind to breathe some new air."

"Where does it leave from?" Molly couldn't hide her concern, neither could Arthur.

"Southampton, in two days." Hermione had expected more counter-arguments, "It will be among Muggles, not that it worries me." She took a new sip tea, "I went over-budget for this also, I booked a suite with a butler and everything."

"Aren't you against House-elves?"

"Butlers are paid, Ron. I want to be pampered, this one time in my life."

Harry asked curiously, "How much did it cost?"

"Nineteen thousand Galleons plus a few sickles and some knuts; in British pounds, a total of fifty-seven thousand pounds, almost fifty-eight."

"Hello, that's quite an amount." He chuckled, hands in the air, "It's your money, your decision, Hermione. No judgement from me, sweetheart. But if my girl here ever wants to do the same, we'll choose a different class before we go bankrupt."

"I'm single and have an excellent job. Have no reason to save, and even with it paid, I still have enough for a comfortable life, if I keep up with a decent lifestyle. This is the one-time experience, and I want to go full-option."

"You'll be pampered as if you were a Malfoy." Ginny needed to have a talk with her husband, no way she would be sent out in the sea… she wasn't that good a swimmer.

"Why the hell not? I need this."

"We'll take you there…" Harry checked with Ginny for rejection but was happy to see none.

"Yes, Ron and I will come too, you need someone to wave you off with a handkerchief." Susan looked dreamy at the leaflet, and Ron felt it in his gut that this would be a trip she would love to do later. He only would negotiate about the duration. "Ron, look! It's just like that tinanic from Hermione's movie."

"The Titanic, Susan." Hermione laughed softly, remembering that Susan had seen the movie twice at her place by now. "I don't expect to find my Leo Dicaprio on board."

"You never know, sister. You could relive your Rose and Jack story…" Susan wished for a romantic ending. It would put Ron finally at ease, ending his concern about Hermione once and for all. Hermione was no threat, only that one family member everyone cared and worried about. _If I light a candle, will it help?_ She was a half-blood witch who often used the Muggle prayers for her personal relief.

"The Titanic movie was full of Hollywood's hocus-pocus, Susan. I'm no fairytale princess."

-oOo-

* **Draco** *

"Draco, I'm ending our engagement as per immediately."

"Oh, is that so, Astoria? Don't you need my vaults anymore to satisfy your every desire?" His snappy comment came, foremostly, from his inability to be friendly to the witch, and less because he felt offended for being ditched.

"The Royal Prince of Abu-Dhabi has proposed to me, offering me much more than you ever did." Her nose in the air, hoping to find the stab to hurt Draco. He didn't react the way she expected, not that she was willing to change her mind. Being a princess from a Middle-East country sounded so much better than being Mrs. Malfoy…

"Do tell, Astoria. What does the man have, that I don't?" Give her the last pleasure, before he could celebrate his new gained status.

"A palace? Probably bigger vaults than you, and you know what else, Malfoy? A bigger dick."

"Nice to know that you cheated on me… you sampled the goods before making up your mind."

"He has made love to me with more passion that you in the earlier days."

"Wait until he finds out what a pain-in-the-arse you are. Fucking an iceberg requires quite an amount of energy." Time to end her glory, "I find it lately a burden, only using your cunt to achieve my pleasure for lack of a better offer. I was planning on knocking you up with my heir after our wedding ceremony before I would seek real satisfaction with another witch. Don't pretend to be surprised, honey. It makes your face wrinkle."

"Fuck you, Malfoy."

"Give the ring back, bitch. You're polluting the air I breathe." He caught it likes a good old snitch before it could damage his face. Her anger made the issue much more enjoyable.

"Our honeymoon, remember? The cruise around the world that cost nearly forty thousand Galleons? It's non-refundable." It seemed to be the last stab she could deliver, a fact he was going to check himself. The stupid trip was her idea, and he went along before she could go complain to his mother over the lack of enthusiasm. _Oh hell, not my biggest concern._

"If that's the case, don't worry. I'll use it to fuck every bird and then some and erase my mind of our sex sessions. My cock needs a decent workout, inside of a wet quim. Yours lacks lubrication, nowadays." Her eyes flashed in anger, furious for not being able to get him undone.

Not, when becoming single again sounded like a blessing instead of a curse - that is, after his mother learned about the cancelled event. He should send an owl instead of visiting her and delivering the good news personally. He bet, however, that his mother's frustration would be more significant for having to cancel the celebration of the year, and less from him losing his fiancée. His mother stopped being a big Astoria fan, after a few nasty encounters.

His wide grin after she left with an un-elegant huff, spoke volumes.

-oOo-

The next round of drinks was one of his, the third of the night. But hell, he was still celebrating his new status as an unwed wizard. His mother's rage was more directed at the blond witch, for all the insults at the Malfoy heir, and as expected, the amount of annoying work she was foreseeing: cancelling the guests and the rest.

"Is it true? About the cruise?" Blaise raised his tumbler.

"I'm not sad…" The golden liquid twirled around his glass, "I mean, I'll be surrounded by water, inside this massive thing Muggles call a boat; yes that's going to be slightly annoying. On the other hand, the bloke from the travel agency assured me, those ships are full of rich old slags, looking for a young stallion to satisfy their need for a good shag. I'm taking all the sex I can have, to make up for the dry sessions with As-fucking-toria."

"Rich old slags?"

"Yes, the guy told me literally: women close to their expiry date who are wealthy and absolutely not looking for a side piece, only to fool around as long as the cruise goes. Easy sex, mate. Easy cunts to use minus the danger of getting a witch knocked up or being tricked into marriage. Perfect for me. Freedom at last!" He sipped anew, "There are things Muggles do better than we do, brother. When one of those old witches become widows, they mourn and cry rivers in your ears. The Muggles go party and fuck around, left and right…"

"Liberating, I should join you."

"No Zab's, do your own thing. I want to be absolutely anonymous on board. No one is supposed to know Draco Malfoy is travelling. I might use Drake as a name instead."

"Drake Malone."

"I dig it!" Tumblers clinked. "Drake Malone it is."

-oOo-

*Southampton*

Not much impressed Draco Malfoy nowadays, but he had to admit, the sight of the ship in front of him did demand respect. Next to it, he felt inconsequential, the mastodon of a boat with its eleven decks above water.

Previously, he pulled a Hermione Granger and read the leaflet from head to toe, surprised about its technical specifications, as the muggles called it. He honestly never came across a wizarding description of something so detailed as this ship was. The fact that it could support more than two-thousand guests and eight hundred crew members was as remarkable as comprehending that the whole vessel weighted above eighty-one thousand tons and didn't sink.

Blaise and Pansy were drooling next to him, if possible, they would go aboard in a jiffy. Draco didn't mind the impossibility: one, he wanted some peace of mind, he had had enough of female nagging to last for ages; plus he wanted to score as many pussies as possible without his best friend keeping score - he even practised the use of those rubber cock-jackets, following the advice of travel agent to use protection. He trusted magic enough to keep him healthy, but _forewarned is forearmed_. Two, he didn't mind a new experience in life next to anonymity. No judgement coming from his last name, no pointing fingers and side looks.

In the worst case scenario, he would search for the nearest Wizarding community and arrange a port-key back home. He was Draco Malfoy, not Ronald I-need-Granger Weasley, for Salazar's sake.

-oOo-

A butler dressed to the nines welcomed him aboard this majestic ship called Arcadia. Draco frowned at the countless times the man bowed before showing him his suite, _The Rio de Janeiro Suite_ , according to its golden placket. _He could order room service at will, all included in the price_ , announced said butler, _the ship offered every type of fitness classes he desired, if anything were not to his full desire, only a word and Mr. I-dont-know-who would take care of it in a second,_ and all the extra blah blah blah.

The accommodation was to his taste, indeed. Small to the Malfoy standards - but this wasn't a Manor after all, although, the sight the double window offered of the open sea satisfied him, and they weren't even navigating yet.

The bed looked welcoming and comfortable, the bathroom - again small compared to the manor's - had a luxury bathtub and a separate shower to accommodate his cravings.

Draco saw it all before him. He would enjoy the sun rays on the inviting lounger, with a nice beverage at his side; join dinner and seek out the flavour of the night; fuck her senseless and send her back to her room to avoid attachments.

The man kept talking in vain while setting his trunk inside the room and describing what all the buttons were for. It the man spoke in a very childish way, one-time explanation sufficed to Draco to understand all switches worked. The little closet the man opened with beverages inside, was new to him; well, he would figure it out. He had ninety-nine days to such end, why worry?

It came silent, the butler was apparently waiting for a reaction, "Mr. Malfoy, is everything to your taste?"

"For the moment, yes, thank you Mr.?"

"Mr. Perkins, sir." A polite smile followed the discreetly raised hand.

"Thank you Mr. Prikens. That will be all." The man turned around baffled at the lack of tip. A late hunch tipped Draco off, and he held the butler to offer him a bill of twenty pounds. British currency felt to him like play money, and he honestly had no idea if it was adjusted.

Sometimes he thought having Granger at his side would be a good idea, freeing her mouth just long enough for him to have his answer of course.

-oOo-

* **Hermione** *

Harry parked his Range Rover between all the Bentleys and Jaguars on display. Next to him, a couple of elders argued about the amount of bags the missus needed for a three-month stay, "They have a laundry service on board, Rosemary."

"I can't be seen with the same outfit twice, Gerard, Madeline will be watching. Imagine what she would say." How elegant could someone huff, wondered Harry? "Now carry these and keep your snatch zipped, darling." _The woman sounded worse than aunt Petunia._

"Harry, stop throwing shade." Hermione followed the dispute mockingly, hoping to be spared from discovering more about this Madeline-woman. She was about to take her bag from the trunk, but Harry shook his head, taking the honours. Ginny said not a word, much like Susan, both women taking in the sight of the ship and mentally adding a cruise to their bucket list.

"It's so much more impressive than on the picture, Hermione " Susan spoke with reverence, "Ron, for my birthday, and my Christmas and the next Mothers-day…"

"Honey, the baby…"

"A short cruise, when the baby is old enough. Ron, look at the decks…" She was in awe. "Just like the Tinanic."

Ron glanced at Hermione _thanks, sweetheart!_ The brunette shrugging off innocently. The party of five reached the desk for the suites, prompt attended by a butler who introduced himself, "Pleasure, Mrs. Granger. I'm your butler Mr. Perkins, and I'll be at your service for the entire journey."

"Likewise, Mr. Perkins. But it's Miss Granger, though you can call me Hermione."

"Of course, Miss Granger. I'm at your disposal twenty-four hours if you require anything or wish to book any excursions. You can call for my services from within your suite." The man didn't know how much to schmooze, hoping for a bigger tip than the twenty quids of the cheapskate from earlier.

"Mr. Perkins, could my friends accompany me to my room, just to have a look? My brother," pointing at Harry, Ron was hard to turn into a sibling with his red hair, "and my sister in law would love to see the suite."

It went against the rules, but when someone paid quite an amount and still had to tip you, there was so much he was willing to refuse, "Of course, but the captain does want to launch on time."

"It won't take long, Mr. Perkins. I'm very thankful." She followed him, with her company in tow. Harry mumbled, "Are you going to make our wives more nuts about a cruise? The outside is doing already its job. Showing off your sleeping quarters is only going to make my end totally heavier."

"Harry, your salary at the Ministry can cover one of these for a smaller journey. Not all trips take three months, you have shorter one of five days or less…"

"You always know an answer, don't you?" He chuckled while admiring the interior of the boat with all its gold, crystal lights and marble floors. Harry had to step aside to allow a wrinkled woman passage, wobbling dangerously on thin high heels.

Ginny murmured, "It seems that one hit her expiry date a while ago." He kissed her with a twinkle in his eyes.

The butler opened the doors to the Rome suite and heard a general gasp from the female attendance. _Every time the same reaction._ This time, his guest listened to every word he said, paying attention to every detail - _so much different than the pale vulture next door_ \- and asking the right questions. He knew the sight of this and next doors suite was the best the ship could offer and he made sure this lady knew it. At the end of his speech, he didn't need to hint for a tip, his guest already offering him hundred pounds for his delivered services. _I know who to serve first_ _._

The spacious suite with its queen-sized bed, whirlpool bath and separate shower was the high-water mark of luxury. Just like the Rio de Janeiro Suite, it offered a television with DVD player, a mini-stereo device, a safe and floor-to-ceiling windows that served as doors to the balcony with its lounger, comfortable chairs and table. Basically, a guest in this suite could remain the entire stay inside his room unless he desired a swim or any other form of entertainment. Privacy guaranteed.

Thankfully, Harry and the rest understood why the man remained at the entrance, and after checking the entire room and testing the bouncing quality of the mattress, the group said their goodbyes and left.

Hermione breathed deep. She put everything away as desired, securing her wand in a secret pocket of her dress and snuggled comfortably in the lounger, waiting for the nearly inaudible sound of the engines to announce their departure.

A new beginning. In peace.

* * *

 **I did a thing during** **NaNoWriMo Nov 2018, it's not yet complete but it counts already 52,2k words and I'm not even halfway. None of my other stories is abandoned, but it has been a difficult month for me and writing for 99 days gave me a much-needed escape from reality. So don't worry, I'm finding again my peace.**

 **The ship Arcadia exists, this amazing journey is one you can still join -** **departure is Jan 2019** **(if you got the money - see P &O ferries - btw I have no affiliations with them). All the places including their activities are real, though some aspects might have been tweaked to fit the storyline. If I made a critical mistake, I always appreciate constructive criticism.**

 **Plus your reviews makes me all fuzzy and forces me to write more...**


	2. Departure

**Wow, the response to this fic has been overwhelming but don't hold back on your reviews! I dropped the 50k-words monster on my Magzillasaurus lap and I'll update at the same rate as she can beta for me... so today I'm offering you a second chapter, but when the next will follow... dunno. Though I am grateful for her help.**

 **The first Dramione encounter... *wink***

* * *

 **Departure Day One**

* **Hermione** *

Dinner was announced, and all the residents of the suites were expected to join the Captain for an exclusive meal, dressed in formal attire for the men, the women in a cocktail dress. Hermione's preference was the privacy of her room, with a light meal, but it denying such a special invitation just wasn't done..

It came with the category of her room, you had to mingle with high society. As such, she used the opportunity to meet her neighbours, more precisely the one next to her suite, who shared the impressive balcony with her. Dressed in a dark red choker gown with a low cut back and cleavage, Hermione was guided by a rather handsome waiter to the dining room, accepted the offered glass of bubbles; nipping from it until she was able to eat something - she knew how fast the champagne tended to go to her head on an empty stomach.

She wasn't the first to arrive, a few guests from other the thirty-five suites - the majority pairs of an older age - strolled around the room, appreciating a few paintings exposed. Some of the grey-haired men made no effort to hide their appreciation for her female curves, viewing her unabashedly from head to toe. It felt nice to see the appeal, but it irked her also for their lack of decency, their wives hung at their arms, for God sake.

A canapé with salmon roe was accepted and eaten in one bite. It wasn't her first choice but the hunger she felt nagging won over her lack of appreciation.

The captain made his appearance, a man close to his fifties, she thought, with salt and pepper hair, the naval experience marked on his features but a welcoming sight by all means. _I wouldn't mind a roll between the sheets, he looks yummy._ His body was taut, she assessed it readily by his tight-fitting uniform.

The quick thought, however, raised a question in her mind: would she deny any offering for a swift shag?

Her eyes roamed over the group from behind her flute, judging her company.

Aside from the grandpas on board - those were a total no-go - if an early forty would approach her, she might accept. After all, she was tied to no one, free as a bird. The prospect of a life partner slinked with the year in her mind, _so why spare herself for a man that might never show up?_ Go with the flow, seize the day and solve any hurdles when they appeared.

Long-term plans, according to her experience, ended up being destroyed anyway…

The room filled and the low chatting rose as well, Hermione tried to keep her attention on an older couple who was talking her ears off about their earlier cruises: _this wasn't their first, but their longest one_ , madam was looking forward to shopping at the different ports, and the service onboard this ship was excellent. Madam also suggested taking a few massages, especially the Turkish one, _as the masseur tended to give extra attention_ if Hermione got the hint right.

 _If I'm in need, it's nice to know where to find my quick fix…_ She covered her half-smile behind her second glass.

A loud laugh drew the attention to a small gathering behind her. A few ladies showed their interest in a bloke with light blond hair, in a tailored suit that didn't hide his athletic shape, broad shoulders and narrow waist. He looked young from behind, and instantly she considered that if _he_ advanced, she wouldn't deny his offering. In his suite, that is, no strangers in her private chamber… She would be the one walking away, instead of pushing a bloke out of her premises. Be the smart girl.

* **Draco** *

His guide brought him to the Captain's dinner, or as he hoped, the first encounter with birds to choose from. Rich ladies looking for a shag with no strings attached, paradise for a young dragon like him, who wanted nothing else in life. For now.

The room was full of people, the majority couples of elder age, not that it stopped some of the massive wrinkled slags from giving him a quick once-over and if possible flash him their fake tits. Even he could see from far, that such a firm full bosom was the work of a Healer as it clashed with the age of its owner. He preferred the real deal between his fingers, not fake fillers to compensate for nature's natural course of life.

Among the old and not so old slags, he spotted a beauty in a dark red gown. She stood with the back to him, offering him a view of a nice spine half covered by waves of curly brown hair; thank Salazar for the low cut back on her dress. _There's my first bird_. He wanted to approach her, but an older woman touched his arm, to grab his attention. "Mr. Malone, where do you come from?"

"North London, Mrs. Aville. Now if you excuse me…"

The hand pushed him back to her, "And is this your first cruise, Mr. Malone?"

 _Some people don't get the hint, do they?_ "Yes, it is, a long-time dream. Now, I think I recognise..."

"I'm quite experienced in the cruise world, Mr. Malone. If you have any question, I'm more than happy to help you eh explore… the benefits of discovering the world by sea." The old bat couldn't be more obvious. Draco attempted once more to escape the woman, to be stopped by the Captain's deep baritone, inviting everyone to join the table.

Much to his disappointment, he saw the man offer an arm to the brunette and escort her to the table, providing a chair at his right side. Adding to his frustration, the bint glued to him and perched him next to her, while on his side another a white-haired woman flashed her perfect fake teeth to him. Speaking of luck…

He looked up straight across the roundtable, nodded at the captain and glimpsed for the first time at the beauty at the Captains' right side.

And froze.

 _Oh bloody hell, what are the odds?_ He schooled his face into a polite smile to hide the rage inside, _Of all people in the world, I'm stuck inside this vessel with the one woman I miss as little as a toothache,_ he thought even if he earlier admitted appreciating her help with some Muggle issues _._ She eyed him straight in the face, in her features he saw all sorts of emotions flash. Anger, frustration and disbelief.

Draco used these seconds of silence to assess a few things. She had aged into a natural beauty many pureblood witches would kill to have. Her face wore a very lightly applied makeup to highlight her grace instead of covering her imperfections. Her curly hair was no longer a bush but a tamed mane of ringlets, somehow he thought immediately that he could enjoy the view of them bouncing while she rode him.

Her eyes were the most beautiful part of her face, the windows of a soul - _am I turning into a Hufflepuff?_ he thought to himself, _quit the poetry moment, you wanker._ The fact was her eyes were expressive as hell, and at the moment, if looks could kill he would be a dead ferret - _I know the names the trio uses to address me, no big deal_...

 _If As-fucking-toria knew, she would laugh herself to death. This is the ultimate punishment. I hope her suite is far away from mine… or I'll have to watch out for a murder attempt._

The Captain broke their brief battle of stares, "I suggest we introduce ourselves, to break the ice." _If the man noticed, he decided to ignore the murderous looks he received from the swot._ "My dear, will you do the honours?" _Yes, one Granger on the spit._

* **Hermione** *

"Of course, Captain Winslow, I'm Hermione Granger." _I'll throw a certain rodent overboard, the moment I can, hopefully in a dark corner at night. Not one soul will miss his presence._

"My dear Mrs. Granger, share with us, what you do in life, how can our crew improve your experience on board…"

 _Help me commit murder and cover my tracks?_ That was probably not the answer the Captain was after…

"It's Miss Granger, Captain Winslow, I'm not married." She hated grey eyes by now, mocking her for her civil status. From her point of view, he wasn't married either, _unless his pureblood wife wasn't allowed to join a simple dinner, what could very be the truth, methinks._ "I work for the government, law enforcement to be precise."

"Oh, you're a police officer."

"No, I'm part of the investigating body from the law enforcement. Type of CSI division, as you may call it." _The ferret is snorting, how mannered…_

"Interesting division indeed, you deal much with solving crimes, I guess?"

"More revealing the cause of death, to be precise. I've seen my share by now, if I'm honest."

"What do you expect from this cruise?" The man was utterly oblivious to the battle over the table, her hand flexing around a knife. The waiter had just served the white wine, and she gulped half of the glass down to ease her nerves. Her room wasn't difficult to find, after all.

"To see the world, to take a break from my daily life, this is a breather of sorts."

* **Draco** *

" _I'm at your disposal for any request, my dear. Any request at all._ "

As a hint, it counted. Draco didn't misunderstand what the Captain was offering, there was no room for doubt, not that he could resent the older man. Hermione was not only one of the youngest at their table, but she was, by far, the most attractive. Draco himself would go for it if they didn't have all the history between them. Hell, he would even offer a cruise with benefits to the woman, if she wasn't Hermione Fucking Granger.

It was his turn to answer the Captain's question, although he noticed a lack of interest compared to his full attention towards Granger. "I'm Drake Malone, a businessman. This cruise was supposed to be my honeymoon, but my fiancé decided on a change of scenery." Kill the gossip by its roots, "I chose to use my journey to start with a new leaf, make new acquaintances."

Hermione murmured less quietly than she should, "She was a smart woman."

"What was that, Miss Granger?" Draco heard her just fine, sending the ball back to her side, "I didn't catch it completely."

"I wonder why she ditched you, such an interesting party." The hate dropped at every word, their battle became the focus of the table. "I mean, a businessman who can afford such expensive quarters… she must have grounded reasons to discard an appealing person."

"My ex-fiancé found a better offer, if I may be honest." The woman at his left rubbed his arm in compassion, offering unabashedly to drown his sorrows at a later time. He might be hungry for some dick action, but not desperate enough to accept it from a bint with fake tits.

The Captain interjected, "Do you know each other?"

"Yes."

"No." Granger was forced to elaborate as it collided with his confirmation, "We attended the same school and year, but we don't know each other beyond being acquaintances."

"What Miss Granger means, is that we never got to know each other decently. There was much animosity between her friend circle and mine." _Work with that, swot._

"Didn't see the necessity, as I don't see it now. It's a bad coincidence that we both are on board the same cruise, against all odds." The first course was served and the witch bit in her salmon with a certain intent, "It's really unfortunate."

Winslow decided to keep himself out of the danger zone, moving on to the bint next to Draco. It was a war zone, their animosity only missed by the blind.

He blocked her out, thinking about his fucked up situation. Of all possibilities, he ended up sharing this long vacation with the one person he owed so much to; but would prefer to cut off his left arm instead of apologising for his actions. He was a Slytherin and a coward first class.

The war had ended five years ago, they pardoned him for his crimes, precisely thanks to her and scarhead's testimony. If he had a new chance in society to right his wrongs, it was because of her doing. Instead of manning up, however, he decided to take it for granted and ignore her existence _tout court_.

Alternatively, he accepted taking an eighth year and a real shot at the N.E.W.T.s, worked towards a Potions Mastery and planned on opening his own apothecary, where he could offer potions and other medicines to the lower class at a minimum price while charging the full fare to the higher society whom could afford the cost. His quiet way of returning some goodness back to the population who suffered under his father's madness, amongst others.

His engagement to Astoria was forced by his mother, acknowledging that his name nowadays represented nought to the aristocracy. Witches who lined up to date him, did it for this vaults alone, and nothing else, showing absolutely no shame into admitting it to his face. The blond Greengrass was the first who showed a little affection, in the beginning, leading him to believe that, in time, he might learn to love her. _How wrong could a bloke be?_ The promise of access to their galleons worked alluring and initially, nothing was too much for her to please him. But during their three-year engagement - his mother wanted him to wait for the ceremony until his father was freed from Azkaban - the mask cracked, revealing at rare moments that all he did was a burden for Astoria unless it came to spending money on her.

More often than not, he attempted to come up with a valid reason to call the whole thing off; alas, not even the prospect of another appealing witch showed up. As D-day came closer, the more he resigned to his fate, believing that better was impossible. The Malfoy name meant little at present.

 _This ship is big enough for two_ , _Merlin will show him some mercy and minimize the moments of being together_. It was time he deserved some peace…

-oOo-

* **Hermione** *

Businessman my arse, the man is a sloth, in Merlin's name.

What are the odds, for god sake? Why must this menace-to-my-good-sanity, look so good? He was attractive as hell, his pointy features had filled out, his blond hair lightened to a surf blond complexion, and he had clearly put on some muscle. The jacket fitted nicely around his shoulders. The arse.

 _Merlin, couldn't you have some pity with me, and put another head on the wizard's body?_

 _The ship is big enough, how big were the odds of him choosing the same excursions and eating at the majority of the places she chose? Morgana, show me some mercy!_


	3. Day Two

**My big thank you to my Magzillasaurus for beta'ing this chapter.**

 **This is a Dramione love story, don't forget it. Patience is a virtue... Jealousy is fun.**

* * *

 **Day Two**

 ***Day One, evening***

* **Draco** *

He had to readjust his opinion on old rich ladies: the slags had no decency.

Not only did he have to fend off the killing glares from across the table at his every reply as if the witch focused solely on his person; he had to divert the lingering hand from the fake tits-bint who insistently showed him how his crotch seemed to be irresistible. Salazar, please have mercy.

If that wasn't enough, at a certain point the Gryffindor witch from hell noticed his annoying problem and laughed unabashedly every time he yelped. The male version of a yelp that is. Man, did he hate both women.

* **Hermione** *

She felt pity for Malfoy, but instead of showing him compassion she made sure he saw her pleasure. The woman with her fake wig and boobs, unleashed an unstoppable attack on Malfoy's nether regions, basically never letting the man have two minutes of peace to eat. When he started to yelp, Hermione was forced to hide her giggle at his discomfort. Serves him right.

Where she was concerned, the apparent advances from the Captain weren't welcome. She felt flattered by the attention but reasoned it to be unwise to accept the shameless hints so early on their trip, it could lead later to badgering caused by resentment. If she wasn't mistaken, the advances weren't solely coming from the highest officer on this ship, but from several - whether taken or not - men. If she got five cents each time her cleavage was oggled, Malfoy included, Hermione could pay for her drinks tomorrow out of the profit.

Her shopping trip with Ginny for this cruise was being rewarded by the appraising looks. Somehow, men still considered her an attractive woman, a fact she tended to forget.

Tonight, she planned on spending her night alone, considering her options and all her possibilities. Which other men would offer their services and so on… Tonight, it would be solely to view and enjoy the attention.

As the meal ended, she followed a few couples to the piano bar with live music and a dance floor. The venue was astonishing in its decoration, and despite the bigger crowd, it still gave a sense of space. It didn't feel packed. Her group sat down at a booth, inviting her to join them, though she didn't have much time to consider, one of the older men asked her to dance to the jazzy tune.

Her night became precisely that. Dancing with several partners, enjoying a drink in between, and her seat remaining mostly empty, but hers nonetheless. It made her forget the presence of an annoying ferret completely.

* **Draco** *

He followed her, discreetly. The male attention that befell her didn't go unnoticed, and somehow he felt it his duty to keep an eye on the witch. He kept repeating this as a mantra to convince himself of the reason why he chose a seat that gave him a full view of her movements without her noticing his proximity.

Her seductive dress and her natural beauty he noticed earlier, were by no means the reason why he couldn't keep his eyes off her. That is, until an attractive older woman - he guessed in her late thirties, early forties, entered his line of vision with a pair of tits that demanded to be checked out. This woman who introduced herself as Louise - not that he was planning on memorising her name, but whatever - didn't grope him but followed an invisible trail down his arms, while batting her eyelashes. Just in case he missed any of her other signs, like propelling her impressive bosom closer to his vision, or making broad movements while changing the crossing of her legs.

"Your place or mine?" The voice didn't put him off either.

"Yours, love."

Wasting no time, she led him towards the C-deck into a room with an outside view and when the door barely closed, the woman shoved him against the door with remarkable strength. _Nice move, lady_.

She gave him a hell of a blow-job, clouding his senses, before dragging him to her bed and riding his cock with abandon. His mind returned halfway through her fucking, as he discovered her tits to be half made of plastic, by the looks - they didn't jiggle as Blaise would say. Healer perfected boobs were a real buzz killer for him, and he had to use his better fantasies to reach his peak, not one to waste a willing pussy. It was wetter than As-fucking-toria had been by the end.

The deal was finished when the woman faked her orgasm, loudly. _Bloody hell, this bint is one to be obliviated and stored in the never-again-list._

Physically but far from mentally satisfied, Draco left the woman after he changed her memories to make her believe she had a thing with another stranger - a dark haired man. Draco felt pride at that last minute epiphany.

His day ended on a worse note. He found out who the person occupying the Rome suite next door was. Hermione fucking Granger.

Very unlike him, the witch had a dreamy look on her face, dancing towards her door to inaudible music. She was also slightly wasted, when she noticed him, "Oh, my dear ferret. Have a nice night of sleep, will you? Dream of me in your bed, babe." _Babe?_

In the end, he had to help her with the key, as her attempts to find the keyhole was useless, despite the giggles, "You know Malfoy? If _you_ weren't _the_ git, I would invite you to shag me against the wall. I could use a decent workout if you get what I mean…" Draco had to admit, a wasted Granger was funny to watch. "Pity you are an annoying ferret…"

She entered her suite, closed the door with a bang and by the sounds of her giggles, she fell on her arse. Leaving him wondering, if she would recall any of her words in the morning.

As if he would service her…

 **Day Two**

* **Hermione** *

The early morning sun woke her way too early for her taste. Apparently, she had forgotten to close the sun shades before heading to her bed, much to her frustration. If it wasn't enough, she remembered every word she said to the annoying wizard who occupied the suite next to hers, if her mind served her well. He was at least alone last night, but came from the opposite side of the corridor, which led her to believe he came from another room and not from a bar.

He got his dick worked out, _but hey, I'm not entering a contest of shags…_

Using the early hour, she consumed a vial of pepper-up potion and gathered her swimming outfit for a morning swim at the Neptune indoor pool. Swim away the remaining alcohol out of her system…

* **Draco** *

The room might be soundproofed, the doors weren't. Willingly or not, he became aware when the witch left her quarters, to do Salazar knew whatever, at this ungodly hour. He was on vacation, there was no need to wake up at seven o'clock... _What the hell is she up to now?_

He willed his brain to fall asleep again, but his mind had another plan. Frustrated, he gathered his swimming trunks, consulted the layout of the ship and decided to use the indoor pool near the Neptune bar, to pull some lengths. His toned body didn't happen by him laying on his lazy arse all day. It required maintenance.

The white bathrobe hugged his body tightly and, weaponed with a towel over his shoulder, he headed towards the Lido deck, two floors above his level. Greeting the few passengers that returned from their swimming, he entered the warm area, dropping his cargo on the nearest unoccupied lounger. Its neighbour watched over a similar robe and towel.

A woman was using the pool already, pulling lengths underwater that nearly didn't ripple the surface. It amazed him to see the athletic female, who sported a pair of impressive legs, _made to snake around a male waist_.

She changed tactics, now using a powerful crawl to move from start to end, making him forget entirely why he was there in the first place. It was only when his eyes made contact with her face that he woke up from his daydreaming.

 _Granger_.

Granger, his nightmare on board, with her fantastic pair of legs, tits that weren't fake at all - they jiggled while she rose on the staircase - looked like one of those mermaids. Fuck. She hadn't spotted him yet, and he used the momentum to give his eyes the taste of a beautiful example of the female sex.

Before she had the time to hex him for ogling her, he stretched like a cat, and pushed off into the inviting water, copying her crawl to swim away the desire that had swept in. Probably also hoping she would check him out as he did her.

-oOo-

* **Hermione** *

Not even in her swimming, did she find peace. She spotted him during one of her turns but refrained from reacting. Instead, she focused on a faster pace, doing a few more lengths than originally planned until she grew tired, and chose the nearest staircase to her lounger. The diving plunge confirmed his plans, using the opportunity to check out his body as well.

His outfit, yesterday, didn't lie. He was stealthily built, with a certain feline grace, narrow hips, the muscles on his back flexing according to his arm swings. Not a large shape, but a nice man to look at, if you ignored his sneering features. _If only he were a John Doe…_

Not wasting another thought on the git, she returned to her room. Swimming made her hungry.

-oOo-

Her butler joined her at the entrance of the breakfast area, "Good morning, Miss Granger. Do you prefer to eat in solitude or should I bring you to a table and give you the opportunity to meet new people?"

"Mr. Perkins, good morning to you too." Hermione pushed a few rebel curls behind her ear, "I accept your offer to eat with other passengers, it sounds a good idea… however, if a certain..."

"I understand, if a certain skinflint wishes to do the same, you want me to divert him to a different table?" The man blushed heavy, "Oh my god, this could get me fired, so unprofessional of me. Please forgive me, Miss Granger, I should not speak this way about other guests."

"I guess we are talking about the same man, believe me, I called him worse." She laughed openly, "Your secret is safe with me." Hermione pat the man on his arm, "Skinflint?"

"Madam…"

"Feed my curiosity, please. The man is filthy rich."

The butler looked nervously left and right before closing in, "He's kind of meagre with his gratuity."

"In his defence, he's not used to deal with British Pounds. He's accustomed to trading with other foreign currency..." _Ha, if Malfoy knew_ … "Don't forget our little deal, please."

"I see… and of course, Miss." He bowed a few times, knowing he shouldn't press for more, the woman could cost him his job, thanks to his loose lips.

-oOo-

On their way to the first port of the journey, Madeira, the butler brought her a booklet full of suggestions for excursions ranging from intense sports to simple sightseeing.

"Miss Granger, I should have your choice by tonight, I'll enquire before your dinner. Where would you like to eat this evening? I'll book a table for you."

"I would love to try the Indian cuisine, but I would prefer to dine alone. Unwind from the day."

"Very well, I'll meet you at the Sindhu restaurant. Seven o'clock?"

Finally left alone, Hermione studied first the book containing all the ship's entertainment activities, choosing to attend an introductory class Spanish later in the afternoon. The Pilates lesson scheduled for eleven also sounded like a pleasant activity, finally trying the intenser version of Yoga without ridiculing herself in front of friends.

The choice of excursion for Madeira would be left for after lunch, between relaxing in her lounge and her Spanish lesson. Time enough for a decent investigation.

-oOo-

* **Draco** *

The annoying servant of his, Mr. Prikens or however his name was, refused to let him join the table where the swot sat, under the pretense that it was complete.

The empty chair was waved off as already taken, albeit it remained empty the entire meal. Instead, he decided to eat his meal in solitude, keeping an eye on the woman. It wasn't even clear to him why he chose to do so.

Draco had expected that Granger would keep staring at his swimming but he was bummed to notice she had vacated the pool by the time he swam back from his first length. _The bint didn't consider him worth watching? Fuck you._ His ego got bruised, so it seemed.

To add to his bad humour, she was having a hell of a good time, and he felt fucking jealous of the fun she was having this morning; on the contrary to his mood, which got sourer by the minute.

"Mr. Malone, I'm sorry to disturb. I want to hand over the brochure containing all the excursions for the entire cruise. Per port we dock, we offer a selection of activities, going from leisure to intense experiences. I'll be enquiring about your choice for our first stop, at the lovely Portuguese island, Madeira, by tonight." Draco bit the urge to roll his eyes, he hated the arse-kissing. "Mr. Malone, do you have a preference for dining tonight?"

"My neighbour, I saw you talk to her, prior coming to me. Where is she dining tonight?"

"At the Neptunes grill."

"Book my table there as well, Mr. Prekins."

"Of course, Mr. Malone." The man seethed internally but didn't give a kick. "I'll meet you at the entrance, by six o'clock?" The smile was as professionally fake as they came.

Later Draco would discover the man could lie without blinking an eye, and forced him to use another tactic to learn the whereabouts of his menace. Though, why feel the need to follow the swot if he hated the damn woman? It made no damn sense, and he questioned his sanity more than once that day.

* **Hermione** *

Pilates, the intense version of Yoga.

 _My arse._

Hermione felt muscles she didn't even know she had burn, the teacher forcing her body into positions Hermione was sure she would feel the aftereffects of beyond the next day. It was supposed to make her more relaxed, gain body awareness and toning. In reality, she was exhausted and tremendously cranky.

The teacher, a young Asian woman with a body Hermione would kill for, ensured her the more she practised Pilates, the more flexible she would become. _They'll have to drag me for a new lesson, I'm not attending a new hour of sheer torture voluntarily. Give me plain fitness from now on…_

On her way to her room, she crossed Malfoy and in the blink of an eye, she morphed her pained features into the happiest grin.

"What made you so happy this morning, Granger?"

"I found a new hobby, Malfoy or should I say, Malone? It's called Pilates. I'll be joining their lessons from now on. You should give it a try unless you're afraid of some stretching."

"I'll have you know, that I did quite a lot of stretching during my Quidditch period, after flying. Or was Scarhead too scared of it?" He wiggled with his eyebrows, "I'll join you tomorrow, test your assumption…"

Fucking with his head eased her pain, _see if he survives…_

-oOo-

She enjoyed a light salad, switching into her bikini and stretched with a nice drink on her lounger to enjoy some of the sunlight shining on her balcony. _This is what I call a vacation._

She set up her watch before she would forget the time and miss her Spanish lesson; sipped and put her nose inside of her excursion book, pen ready at her little side table. The choices were mind-boggling, from exploring the town centre of an island also known as the Garden Island at a relaxed pace, shopping through its flower market and more, to jeep adventures or whale spotting. It bummed her that the duration of their visit was less than six hours, not long enough to do all that tickled her senses.

A quick overview of the table of contents made her cross off snorkelling and whale-spotting as these type of excursions would be found at other ports. She settled for excitement, but the jeep wasn't her thing… she wanted more thrill and to experience new adventures. Canyoning. High level of intensity, get wet, conquer her fears of heights and a lot more. The eventual bruises would be magically tweaked away, the least of her worries.

* **Draco** *

 _Afraid of stretching, puh. Who does the swot think she is? I'll show her how palites is done…_

He seethed on his way back to the suite, dressing in his swim trunks to check out the birds around the sun deck pool. _Search for a suitable bedpartner for tonight's workout._

Draco succeeded in his intent, many were the female heads that turned his way as he sauntered along the pool, looking for an empty lounger. He chose a strategic one close to two young women, friends, by the looks of it, who eyed him hungrily from head to toe. The appraisal perfectly rubbed his ego and drowned away the frustration from his little encounter with the annoying know-it-all.

He heard the scraping of chairs, smiling his trademark smirk while the two bints inched closer.

"Can we get you something to drink?" He hid his surprise in a second, _Muggleborns aren't afraid of taking the initiative._ "A gin-tonic? Or something stronger?" The blonde of the two spoke but showed him foremostly how well she filled her bikini top. Not that the fabric hid much of her mounds. _He might go for a piece of blond tonight, or maybe test both… my dick can use a good time…_ The looks both women exchanged left nothing to the imagination.

"I'm thirsty for a gin-tonic, thank you, ladies." The busty brunette flashed him a perfect smile, kissed her friend on the lips and walked seductively away, swinging hips to get him his drink - he had no idea what he just ordered. Being poisoned wasn't his most pressing concern, while the image of two hot bints kissing each other in front of his face lingered.

Same sex-relationships was frowned upon within the Wizarding community. The bravest souls strong enough to acknowledge their identity were shunned, resulting in a meagre percentage of known homosexuals. Muggleborns lived obviously freer, and he was the lucky man to land on a pair who also enjoyed a male companion. _His dick was getting a decent workout, indeed._

Anna, the brunette as he learned, handed him his glass with a transparent liquid, pepper balls and other spices floating between ice cubes. It tasted bitter but pleasant, its smell not fishy at first glance. "I'm Anna, and she's my girlfriend Barbie."

"Pleased to meet you, I'm Drake."

They giggled, "Drake, nice name. Drake, would you like to swim with us?"

"Here? Of course, I'm not going to refuse an offering from two gorgeous ladies?"

"Unless you want to go somewhere more private…"

 _Why can't Granger be this brazen?_ "What do you have in mind?" His wand was hidden in the small bag he carried, next to his sunglasses and a book.

"Drake, we think a talk in a more private setting, you know…"

His choice of activities for Madeira could wait, there was a more important matter at hand…

-oOo-

They didn't speak much unless you considered groaning and moaning talking. Both women jumped on him from the moment the door closed - he apparently had this effect on ladies - and beachwear was taken off with aggressive movements. They ravished him and themselves, being double-pleasure givers; fingering one while her mouth gave him a long-due blow job, whereas the other kept his mouth more than occupied with a tongue or a tit.

It exceeded the one time Pansy and Tracey gave him his first triad, during sixth year, back then both women on him, compared to this triangle of sex. "Oh, fuck."

In the end, he didn't need to obliviate the two, as they offered a new session. "If you're interested of course, no strings attached. We're not looking for a third party, but don't refuse a good cock now and then…"

It left him speechless. Pureblood women had something to learn after all…

The sex left him starving, and he downed a pizza meant for two people - another smart invention, damn these Muggles. On his way back to the suite - _a bloke needs some rest after a shag of this magnitude_ \- he took the booklet of excursions and stretched on his lounger, whistling.

"Can you please tone down the volume? If I want a serenade, I'll book a professional player."

Granger's snippy demand brightened his humour even more. He couldn't resist peeping over the screen that shielded half his balcony, "File a complaint." He blinked though, Granger was covered by a flimsy thing over her breasts - _it barely covered her tits!_ \- and the knickers were... _can you even call those knickers?_

Before he would gap more, he returned to his lounger, "Granger?"

"What now?"

"What are you doing on our first stop?"

"The jeep."

"Great suggestion…" _for cowards._ He was looking for something more adventurous, checking off all the options for lame shopping. His eyes landed on the promise of canyoning, described as an action-packed tour perfect for thrill seekers. In the absence of a broomstick, this seemed to be the next best thing aside from a good flight on his Firebolt.

Let her enjoy this jeep adventure for lame tourists, he was going for the real thing…

-oOo-

They left together for their dinner, him following her closely while enjoying the sight of her firm arse inside tight-fitting black pants and a mint-green top. _For a Gryffindor, she wore the Slytherin colours in style._

He entered the lift, after her, putting his mother's decorum lessons into good use, and pressed the button for the Lido deck. The bell announced the arrival on the right floor, and he motioned her to exit the narrow space - he was not a fan of elevators. But she shook her head, "I'm going two floors up."

"The Prikins guy told me you were dining at the Neptune Grill." He held the doors up, in confusion.

"Perkins, you say? He must be confused with another guest, I'm dining at the Sindhu, the Indian restaurant. Have a nice dinner, Malf-Malone." She grinned, knowing all too well it wasn't a glitch from their butler. "Oh, do me a favour, will you? If you bring a woman into your quarters, close the windows, I don't need to hear the fake moans…"

"Fake moans?" He had done his one-plus-one by then, "A woman doesn't fake with me."

"Keep telling that to yourself, Malfoy. You might one day believe it, I assure you."

His glare was promising, "If you end up under me one day, Granger. I'll make you sing."

"True, I forgot all about the Slytherin sex-god title you possess. My bad." She shoved his arm away, "Now if you excuse me, I have a dinner to attend." Ending with a kiss in the air.

He remained quiet for a few seconds, "Bitch, forget the _if_ , it will be a _when_ … mark my words." The conviction was real, "I'll stuff my dick inside your mouth to keep you quiet."

Turning around with a swirl that would make Snape jealous, he marched to the Grill, demanding a table on the Sindhu instead, only to hear that the Indian restaurant with a British twist was at full capacity.

Time for another tactic with that Granger-arse-kissing tosser of a Prikens.


	4. Day Three

**Freshly beta'ed for you by my Magzillasaurus! enjoy...**

 **Ps to a lovely guest: Honey, your wishes will come true, the romance & fluff, the smut... have a little patience. I can't have them falling in love from day one. A little banter first. I hope you stay for the ride!**

* * *

 **Day Three**

 **Day Two Evening**

Her meal tasted divine. Especially when it was seasoned with an up-yours towards the annoying wizard who somehow ended up appearing at every corner she turned. She ate her ginger and mint tiger prawns with a hint of a smile, satisfied with how the butler took her side and misdirected him for tonight's dinner. The spicy flavour mixed with the touch of mint set her tongue on fire, and she dowsed it with a healthy sip of white wine.

The book she brought as a companion remained untouched for the majority of her starter, as she couldn't stop thinking about the comment of her table waiter, asking if she wouldn't mind the company of a certain Malone, who claimed to know her pretty intimately. It took her a few seconds to react at the boldness of Malfoy, but she declared not to remember any Malone - technically she didn't lie - and the waiter continued to his job.

After a delicious seafood rice dish called Biriyani with lobster, spicy coconut and mango sauce, she decided to skip dessert and take a nightcap at the piano bar. Stretching her legs on the dancing floor always brightened her spirit. A quick check taught her that the area was pale blond-free, and relieved, she searched for a free booth, ending up on sitting next to a couple she met the previous night.

The woman pleasantly agreed how torturous Pilates could be, but she assured Hermione that the more she practised, the easisier it became. Maybe she should give it another try, but not tomorrow, as a certain blond would definitely attend the class. _I hope our teacher Mey gives him a bad time._

From across the room, an attractive man winked at her, offering her a drink, with a glass in the air. She excused herself from the couple, promising to join them on another day for a new chat, and headed towards the man to be stopped by a furious wizard, "Why did you refuse me at dinner?"

"I don't have any idea what you are talking about." She tried to walk around him, but he held her in place.

"Granger, you claimed not to know me."

"I denied knowing a Malone." Her temper was rising, as she saw another woman approach the bloke she intended to join. "Now you're standing between me getting laid and me needing the use of my hand to satisfy myself. Remove yourself from my path, before I do it for you in a painful way."

"I've decided to stand in your way of sexual relief." His brave words were heavy in contrast with his inner fear of getting punched once more. "Consider it my payback for the torture I endured yesterday."

"How come that you want to have dinner with me, all of a sudden? I'm not your favourite Gryffindor. Can't you just ignore the fact that we are sharing this cruise and continue with your business as I'll do with mine?"

"I don't like to be taken for a fool, and I will discover how come that Pikkins of a toad is taking your side. He should remain neutral between his guests, as befitting a good butler."

He revealed his weak point, "I didn't ask for Perkins to cover for me, I believe he's obliged to keep his guests' whereabouts confidential."

"He isn't, and I'm certain you've hexed him into it." He blocked her once more, enjoying the pleasure of seeing her object of the night leave with another bint. He thought, however, that the man was an arsehole for not waiting for a woman like Granger; if the bloke was so easy to seduce, then he wasn't worthy of a witch like her.

"Ferret, that was my ticket for a good shag tonight. It walked away by your doing. Pray that I don't have the chance to repay the favour, arsehole. Because I will, with pleasure." To emphasise her words, she pushed her foot painfully on his shoe, "Release me before my foot will be the least of your concerns, git."

"How rude of me. Do you want me to satisfy your needs, my lady?"

"Your dick can't handle my mudblood pussy." She seethed, "Good night, tosser."

"You're giving me a challenge, you do realise, don't you?" His lips curled in a half smile, "Your pussy has never tasted a real pureblood dick, Weaselbee's doesn't count. I'm willing to make an exception because it's you, Granger. I owe you one." To see her stamp furiously, made his bantering worth it. Fucking her into the mattress would be less a burden than he thought initially, thinking about her female curves.

-oOo-

She caught her pretty bloke around the corner waiting for her.

"It took you long enough to free yourself from that blond. By the looks, I think he must be an ex in your life."

"He wishes. No, he's only an irritating acquaintance that came on board to ruin my cruise, unfortunately." She still breathed heavily of ire. "Were you waiting for me? I thought you had chosen another partner."

"She can't hold a candle against you." He rubbed her arm meaningfully, "Can I offer you a drink, perhaps in my room, where we won't be disturbed?"

"Only a drink?"

"We'll start with a talk and a drink, let us take it from there…"

She followed him, accepted his whiskey and sipped while listening to his rundown about his businesses, how he was a well-educated man and how beautiful she looked; confessing he had spotted her yesterday but refrained from contact because Hermione had so much fun with a few other men.

It was too much talk to her taste, but when he kissed her she partook, actively searching for a passionate spark to ignite. His looks turned out to be his only good quality, the man did not know how to kiss - Ron had been less sloppy and that was telling. He fucked her into the mattress alright, but in the end, her cries and moans were all faked, hoping the torture would end soon. Foreplay was for this wanker only another word in the dictionary. Kneading her boobs as if they were stress balls, all the more.

A quick obliviate followed, and her hand finished her frustration off between the sheets in her room, after she showered quickly to remove his smell from her skin. The scourgify did the rest with his fluids. Malfoy was going to pay dearly for her worst first Muggle shag in a long time.

If she found no satisfaction, neither would he.

* **Draco** *

He drank a nightcap stretched out on his lounger, outside on his balcony. From the noises coming from the room next door, he assumed things didn't go as she hoped, for him a source of delight. Her obvious remiss at the restaurant wasn't quickly forgotten.

Hermione slammed her glass door open stepping outside to take a frustrated breather.

"Unsatisfied shag, Granger?"

"Oh, go fuck yourself." _Did she growl? How ladylike, haha. Wait until you find out that I confounded the little toad into spilling his beans and telling me which excursion you booked… jeep adventure, you lying swot!_

-oOo-

 **Day Three**

His wand woke him just in time to have breakfast before he would join Granger's pilates class, show her how good he could stretch. Malfoy's excel at everything, let her take a seat and pay attention.

Draco had no actual idea what Pilates entailed apart from the fact that it was something between yoga and fitness. He entered the room mainly filled with women but not the witch he expected to find. His teacher, May, dragged him to the centre of the place, happy to have a male participant for a change. It predicted nothing good.

The woman started with some easy warm-up exercises, _a piece of cake, but what the hell am I doing here?_

"Now let us start with the real work." Her enthusiastic tone was met with encouraged hums except his, he wished he had sat in the back and could escape stealthily. "I want you to do the roll up, five times."

 _Oh fuck this is lame_ , his thoughts far from excitement as he rolled up and down, copying the woman. Especially when her voice - that began to rile him up - continued, "Perfect, let us move on with ten times windmills. Bring both legs flexed from one side to the other, this is a great exercise for toned abs." She applauded in support, "Now stretch the legs and bring them sideways, yes, perfect, four times… one… Oh, Miss Granger! Join us, I have an empty space right here in the front," Someone tried to escape, "No, no, Miss Granger, no aerobics today for you, you'll attend my class, you can't give up after one lesson, darling!"

 _Gotcha! Someone got caught, payback my dear…_ The empty space turned to be on his right. Granger smiled grimly, and he gave her his widest grin back; letting his eyes roam over her fitted tank top, the broad straps covering what appeared to be a sports bra, and her yoga pants that only hid the basics. Once more proving that Granger sported a nice pair of legs… _concentrate, mate, before you out yourself._

May brought him back from his daydreams, "Mr. Malone, concentrate on your own exercises, please. You can admire Miss Granger's assets after my class." _Oh, balls._ "I want you all to do a reverse crunch…" _A what? Oh, that... pay attention, Miss Granger…_ he rose his lower half and belly until only his shoulders remained flat on the floor, his legs in the air.

In the mirror, he could see the brunette perform outstandingly, puffing hard as he did to keep the abs in check. Their ten times were just done, when the next one command followed, "I want ten times per leg of the Oil Rigger. All of you on all fours, and as you bring one leg high up behind you, you lower onto your arms at the same time. The ideal exercise for a tight behind, ladies and gentlemen.

His stomach was making weird sounds, and when he lifted his leg as told, his biggest regret was, _why did I eat so many beans this morning?_ He relaxed when the leg lowered, but every time it rose, Draco feared the worst, _tighten that arse, mate, or you'll embarrass yourself… eight more to go...seven...fuck._ His only reward from the exercise from hell was the lovely view of Granger's bosom, as her tank loosed up and let him peek into her cleavage. The torture ended without fart-shed.

The next task came as a blessing, "We are almost there, people. We're doing a side bend. Support on your stretched arm, while you curve your upper body off the floor, legs stretched and feet together, people!" His biceps worked overtime, but this was more his thing. A glance at the clock above the mirror showed the last five minutes of torture.

"And… stop! Now we're going to do some cooling off stretching exercises, spread your legs wide!" He tried the best he could, but Granger spread hers almost into a perfect line, where his formed a wide v-shape. "Flatten your upper body over your leg, count to ten… now the other side...amazing." A few other relaxing drills and he swore to avoid this room for the upcoming ninety-seven days. _Can I even rise to my feet without grunting?_ By the looks of it, he wasn't the only one thinking this way. _What would Blaise call it? Karma is a bitch._

* **Hermione** *

 _Fuck, fuck fuck. This wasn't the plan! I only wanted to spy on the git and see him suffer, not be snatched into the lesson from hell, again._ Right, when she almost didn't feel her muscles complain, that perfect-girl-slash-tormentor of a teacher dragged her back in, and if it wasn't enough, made her take the mat next to the git.

She kept an eye on him over the mirror, using his discomfort as the only pleasant detail of a lesson she would never attend anew in her life. His jealous face at her perfect spaghetti spread on the floor, probably her favourite. _Why did he scrunch his face during the oil rig?_

Her need for a warm shower was stronger than the urge to discard the blond who followed her. Draco ran the few steps to close the distance, "Great lesson, right, Granger? Let's do it again together, I love to see your tits from under your top."

She flipped him the finger.

"Hasn't your mother given you decorum lessons, Granger? Your manners are lacking dignity."

"Do you have no one else to harass?"

"You're my favourite target." His confession made her walk faster, and he let her. She had a delectable arse to observe…

-oOo-

She found a lounger at the outside pool and relaxed into it, hoping the sunlight would ease her strained muscles. Much to her annoyance, Draco occupied the one at her side.

"Don't you have anything better to do? This ship is huge, can't you go act like vermin somewhere else?"

He eyed her from under his Ray-Bans - a gift from Blaise to look swag, "Let me see, no."

"Cockroach."

"Swot."

"What happened to mudblood?"

"Out of fashion, it lost its meaning since I realised I followed a half-blood to discover that you bleed red like me."

"Hmm, it doesn't phase me anymore. I even embrace it." She continued as he frowned, "I'm a mudblood, I'm proud of who I am, of where I come from and what I've achieved by my own means, and not one Pureblood can take that away from me. Especially a prejudiced prat like you and your father." Hermione opened her book, with much ostentation, "Now, stop interfering with my vacation."

"I'll do my best to do the opposite."

"Why?"

"Because riling you up is my favourite pastime next to shagging a nice bitch."

Hermione narrowed her eyes, torn between sneering and ignoring, but returned to her book instead. _Be the bigger person._

"I should frame this moment, the know-it-all is speechless." Having her ignoring him was a no-go.

"Being a dick doesn't make yours bigger." The old lady on her left sniggered, and both women shared a look.

"You're…"

"I guess what you're looking for is, Granger one, Malf - oh, I'm sorry, I mean Malone, zero." She leaned back and sighed, content. He was seething, and it felt good. Her book got her full focus.

A quarter hour later, she got up annoyed, "Malfoy, I have seen the same woman stroll ten times if not more in front of my chair. Accept her open offer or make her disappear, but if she blocks my sun one more time, I'll be shoving her into the deep end."

"She's admiring a good-looking bloke, I can't help it. Granger love, don't feel jealous." He turned his page, sending her a kiss.

"As if." Hermione huffed. Here she was, trying to enjoy the sun and peace and stuck with the most irritating of wizards. She gave no fucks about his conquests, why would she?

-oOo-

He headed to the pool to cool off, this bantering was turning him on, and he was really in the worst place possible to walk around with a boner. It was a total surprise to conclude that the female side of the Golden Trio was a funny and engaging person. Provoking her was his new source of fun, no doubt about it.

Someone patted his arse, fuck. _Ah, the woman Granger complained about_. Not a bad sight but not his first choice either, yet engaging with her would only aggravate the other witch more, and he loved to see her flush.

"Hello, darling. I couldn't stop noticing…" _Hello, these Muggle women know no shame…_

"I've noticed, love. Looking for something?" Granger was staring at him, and he played the game.

"Depends, is that your girlfriend? She's acting quite possessive…" _Oh, that's new, does Granger even know?_

"She's just a friend." The woman's bosom was touching his chest, _do they jiggle?_

"Are you certain? She's staring." A seductive smile followed suggestive glances, all doubts died if he had any. This female craves some male company unmistakably...

-oOo-

"Darling if you don't want a black widow to claim your man, I suggest you save him from her claws." The older lady advised her, recognising the type harassing Draco.

"He's not my man." Hermione kept staring, though.

"He's flirting with you, darling. Why turn away such a good looking bloke, honey? Those are hard to come by… Makes me wish my Henry was half as much of a stud as your blond over there."

"We know each other, but we don't have a good history." Despite her intentions, she kept an eye on Draco, looking for a sign of distress.

"Oh, well. If you accept the advice of an old lady… shag him silly, and he'll be putty in your arms. You'll see, he'll apologise for his wrongs." The lady even inched closer, "If I were twenty years younger, I would take my chances… He's a blond Adonis, darling…"

Hermione laughed heartily, "I'm not planning on shagging the ferret, but I understand what you're saying. He has a sculpted body indeed. And a very foul mouth."

"Nothing a smart girl like you can't handle." It took some effort for the woman to rise from her chair. "Don't forget my advice, honey."

-oOo-

* **Draco** *

In the pool, Draco parried all the advances. His companion was not of his taste, but he used her game to draw out Granger. When he saw her leave her lounger, he dumped the annoying bint in a second and followed the brunette from a distance. Until he was stopped by Granger's lounger neighbour, "You'll have to apologise to your lady if you want to have any success in seducing her, my lad."

"Excuse me?"

"She told me there's bad blood between you. You can't make her yours as long as you don't confess your regrets."

"I'm not planning on making her mine, ma'am. I love to rile her up, that's all."

"My Henry said the same… it's how it starts you know, young boy? Irritating her to get attention, it's always the first step…" She patted his upper arm, with a motherly smile. "She'll give you nice babies."

 _Now, this is getting weird,_ "I'll keep that in mind." _The old bat has lost it. Me and Granger? The idea alone… disgusting._


	5. Day Four

**Once again, thank you, my dear Magzillasaurus.**

To my lovely guest waiting for the fluff, you'll find some under *day four* and the path is being set... Skip the first part :)

* * *

 **Day Four**

 **Day Three afternoon**

* **Hermione** *

Salsa lessons.

The scheduled dance classes were what she needed to forget this morning's fiasco at the pool. She read precisely two pages of a new romance novel she bought because she spent all her free time wondering if the git needed to be saved.

The woman suggested to her that she shag the git silly to bring him to his knees. The thought alone was hilarious, nevermind the thought that she would set up an actual plan to seduce the most annoying wizard in the world, next to his father. She'd rather remain single for the rest of her life, and eventually, chase a single-mother adventure one way or the other.

There was too much troubled water between her and Malfoy, even if she had testified on his behalf to keep his pale arse out of Azkaban. She knew he didn't belong there, his crimes had been committed under duress, and she owed him for not turning Harry in at the Manor; the outcome of the war would have been entirely different if he had snitched on them.

In the back of her head, the memory of a tormented person remained, forced to watch her torture and feeling disgust at the horror. She never blamed him for not intervening, somehow seeing his revulsion at his Aunt's torment humanised him in her judgement. But that was it. Draco Malfoy was never part of her thoughts, nor a name in the list of possible dates.

-oOo-

Her salsa instructor turned out to be Alejandro, the Spanish teacher, one of those proud Spanish men who sported _the_ moustache and matching suntan. His way of teaching was so compelling and funny, that it silenced her murmurings in no time, replacing them with loud laughter and joy. Hermione's dancing partner, a blond, muscular bloke, twirled her around effortlessly, but probably not in full Salsa-mode. _Oh hell, as long as he swings with his hips, it was all fine with her._ Nicholai, a Norwegian fellow as she discovered in the end, concluded with inviting her for dinner at the Meridian club dining restaurant, where he had a table booked for the entire cruise for him and a companion.

She accepted almost immediately, if not only to prove a point. She wasn't interested in a pale-blond bloke sleeping next door.

* **Draco** *

He exited the door to dine when he saw this big guy knock on Granger's door. The bloke was bigger than him, sturdier built, blond hair that would make even his father jealous - Lucius had an obsession with curly hair - in short, Draco felt immediately threatened by his Viking appearance.

The door opened to reveal a witch, dressed in a magnificent dark blue gown, high heels and the hair in a bun on top of her head, a few curls around the face.

The Viking smiled, and Draco understood the concept of jealousy - although admitting it was another beast.

"Oh, hello Malone. Meet Nicholai, Nicholai, this is Malone, an old school acquaintance." An unfriendly glare met an arrogant stare. Until Hermione hooked her arm around Nicholai's and demanded his full attention; she did remark at the lack of a polite handshake.

Draco saw her leave, and that fact didn't sit well with him, to the point that he re-entered his room, to smash the first thing his hand landed on, "I don't care who she shags, for all I care she can shag the entire ship and then some." He flicked his wand to repair the glass ashtray to smash it into pieces again. "That piece of garbage is going to use her and dump her tight arse before the night is over. Granger must not think she can come and cry on my lap. I could care less."

The ashtray suffered a third attack, "I'll find my own dick entertainment, enough birds on this ship. Where will I find those two slags?"

-oOo-

He found the women, engaged them in a light talk and accepted a round against the wall of an empty room somewhere in deck D. He fucked the one, then the other while they had quite the trouble getting him hard in the first place, his focus was fleeting. It kept returning to a certain brunette and her Viking he hated wholeheartedly.

"Old school acquaintance… the dare."

"What was that, sweetheart?"

"Nothing, mouth on the dick." He pushed her face back to his groin, while the other girl satisfied her wife. Annoyed with his lack of centre, he pushed the brown-haired one away from him and used her temporary distraction to obliviate her mind, repeating the treatment with the blond between her wife's legs.

He tucked himself away, marched back to his suite and waited in the balcony until he heard his neighbour return.

Not for once questioning his reasoning.

* **Hermione** *

Nicholai was an entertaining man, a traveller recounting stories about his earlier journeys all over northern Europe and Asia. He made her laugh quite a lot, a good conversationalist who didn't forget to inquire after her experiences abroad. Not that she had seen much of the world, aside from a trip to Paris with her parents and some few regions in Scotland and Ireland apart from Rome with Ron.

The dinner eased into nice drinks at the Globe bar, where they ordered different cocktails in search of the perfect one while discussing the pros and cons of particular destinations.

The later it became, the closer Nicolai approached, and he finally inserted his leg between hers at the bar, his finger stroking her bare arm, "Do you want to take this further, in my room perhaps?"

"What do you have to offer?" She caught his hand before it touched somewhere more intimate.

"One night with no strings attached. If it is of your liking, we could negotiate a longer friendship with benefits for the duration of this cruise."

"Only for the duration?"

"Let us not get ahead of things, but start small. You're an intriguing woman, Miss Granger, Hermy."

"Hermy?" The tone of her interjection went lost on the man.

"Your name is too long, Hermy fits you better." Nicholai gave her a heated look, "Do you accept my invitation?"

"Start small, no strings attached." She stood from her stool.

-oOo-

Nicholai was a man that knew his way around a woman's body. Foreplay was this time, more than a word on the dictionary. He did all the right things, pressed all the right buttons, and it pleased her.

She didn't reach her peak, nor he did take her breath away. The entire time, she missed something, but what exactly, impossible to describe. _What is it that I'm missing? This bloke is a stud, who gives enough attention to his bed partner and I'm begging for more than just pleasure… Spoiled bitch…_

She left his room, lost in thought. There was no need for an obliviate as they both accepted keeping this a one-time thing with no further strings attached as previously agreed. Entering her suite, she ditched her heels while walking, let the dress fall to a puddle at her feet, snatching her nighty and pulling it over her head in one move while opening her window to catch some sea-air by night.

"Did he satisfy you?"

"Keeping tabs on my sex life, Malfoy?" She was startled by his presence, expecting to be alone.

"Don't answer a question with another question, Granger. Did he satisfy you?"

"Why do you care?" His hard face struck her, it was more than his usual sneers at Hogwarts. "He did if you really want to know."

"Are you seeing him again?"

"No, I'm not looking for the _they-live-happily-ever-after_ , Malfoy."

"I thought that it was every girl's dream, shackle the most interesting party and suck him dry." He paused in between for a new sip.

"Are you drunk?"

"Not yet." He perched himself against their partition, "Enlighten me, Granger. Do you Muggle-borns get educated like Pureblood witches? To fuck the richest?"

"Go to bed, Malfoy."

"Why the hell aren't you looking for the perfect happily ever after?"

She breathed deeply, to centre her patience, "Because I believe I'm one of those women who isn't meant to have that kind of happiness. Now if you'll excuse me, tomorrow will be a very intense day, and you should use your sleep to recharge your batteries, the cany… I mean the jeep adventure can be very hard."

"The jeep, right. Almost forgot…" He pushed off the railing, "Sleep tight, Granger." He retreated the few taken steps, to look over the partition again, "And you are wrong, Granger. You deserve your happy ending, you haven't found your missing piece yet. See you tomorrow."

He left her speechless, never expecting those gentle words to come out of his mouth. Even if he was mistaken, her missing piece was a utopia.

-oOo-

 **Day Four**

The excursion advised to take a change of clothes and strong closed-toe shoes, sunscreen, and a towel, plus wear a swimsuit underneath warm clothes. Hermione packed, just in case, an extra bottle of water.

Equipped with her backpack, she joined the majority to watch how the boat docked at the Madeira Port, seeing immediately why this island was so loved. It also had something magical to approach a place by the sea, certainly the first time. Eagerly, she headed to the exit, feeling like her eleven-year-old self at the first sighting of Hogsmeade.

"It's impressive, right? How a mastodon of this size can align perfectly with the shore?" Hermione didn't need to turn around, to know the voice came from Malfoy.

"I agree." Perkins waved at her, and she joined the butler, followed closely by the Slytherin.

"Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy, follow me please." He guided them to a group of other passengers who would be taking the same adventure, "This is Luis, your guide for the entire journey. Enjoy your thrill ride!"

"Bom dia, welcome to the canyoning adventure. Today you'll feel like Indiana Jones, as you'll be swimming, jumping and rappelling in small waterfalls, deep ravines and gushing river currents with the help of fixed ropes. I guarantee you, you will be wet. Are we ready?"

Only the aspect of hanging high above a river current scared her, concluding she didn't read it all properly. But if she flew a dragon, she could handle crossing a distance high up in a mountain.

"Aren't you mistaken, Malfoy? This isn't the jeep adventure."

"No, Miss Granger. I'm where I'm supposed to be." _Lying witch…_

Without further ado, the guide brought them to a mesmerising view of the Portuguese island, "Take off your clothes, there's a locker for each, put on the wetsuit, the gloves and the canyoning boots." The group regrouped, and he handed each a helmet, "I'll pair you up, and you have to help your partner at every hurdle; make sure he or she can reach the other side, understood?"

A little to her annoyance, the man paired her up with Malfoy, probably because he saw them exchange words in the jeep. The nuisance wasn't so bad, as she also thought that the blond could use magic in case of need, something no-one else could do at first sight. Unless the Slytherin decided to enforce a payback of sorts, his moods were hard to foresee…

The adventure started, her level of adrenaline rose to a high and based on his glowing face, so did Malfoy's. He extended a hand, "Partners?"

"Just for today." She accepted the offered hand with a smile.

As a start, the run which took them towards their first stop, was over the top and ended on the next hurdle: an abseiling down a canyon. The surprise was readable on both of them, "Let me go first, Granger."

"Why is that?" He would be in for a row if he gave her I'm the man-speech.

"I can cushion your fall if something goes wrong." There wasn't much she could offer against his valid point.

Hermione let him go first, smirking when he made a funny face, it did look far down. Summoning her courage, she didn't make his mistake and look at the bottom but kept watching straight ahead of her, roaring nervously in a burst of laughter when her foot slipped. "You can do it, Granger!"

"Shut up, Draco!"

The last few feet, Hermione felt his hands at her hips, guiding her safely to the ground. Much time to ponder on her use of his first name wasn't there, as they were ushered into the newest hurdle, jumping between small ravines on their way to a small waterfall. The guide reassured them and demonstrated how to take a safe leap.

This time, Hermione took the initiative and watched how Malfoy jumped gracefully between the two points as if he didn't do anything else in life. No time to waste and their first descent down a waterfall was a wrap, Hermione's yell echoing down the walls, much as Malfoy's did.

The four-hour tour was a success, with a short stop at a local tent to savour a tomato and onion soup, plus a tasty cold black-eyed bean salad with tuna. On the way back, Hermione snoozed, head on Malfoy's shoulder, exhausted but delighted. He felt much the same, head resting against the side of the jeep, eyes staring at the curly hair. He enjoyed the trip which pushed him over his limits, undoubtedly.

What stuck with him the most, was how she had let go of her hate for him and genuinely became a partner for mischief and adventure. She laughed with him, not at him. She urged him further, accepted his help and cheered when he needed a little incentive.

In return, she didn't push him away when she froze over a deep ravine, holding on the upper cord for dear, the fear of heights taking over her self-control. He didn't like the passage either, but he got brave, returned halfway to talk her some courage and forced her to come with him to the other side. To his complete surprise, she hugged him fiercely in gratitude, quieting his own distress; they had hung quite up high, for fuck's sake.

The jeep came to a halt, and the subject of his thoughts woke up dreamily, smiling exhaustedly. The walk towards their room went in silent. Doors were opened, "Granger, do you want to have dinner with me?"

"Can I have a raincheck? I'm yearning for my bed, there are muscles aching in my body that I didn't even know I had…"

He smiled softly, "I know the feeling."

She interjected, "Breakfast tomorrow?"

"It doesn't count for dinner."

"Git, don't ruin the moment, I'll knock on your door tomorrow morning. No Pilates for me either."

He was still smiling goofily when her door closed, he liked this Granger.


	6. Day Five and Six

**Happy Monday! Thank you, dear Magzillasaurus, for your beta work!**

 **Day Five and Six**

 ***Day Five***

She was a woman of her word, and it was early morning when she knocked on his door, to see it open a second later, "Were you standing behind the door waiting for me?"

"It was a mere coincidence, Granger. Don't flatter yourself." He invited her along with a hand, adjusting his paces to the size of hers. "How do you feel this morning?"

"Can I lie, Malfoy?"

He threw his head back, "Let me guess, there are joints on your body that ache harder than an arthritis patient, I have a bruise on my back the size of a golf ball, don't ask me from where, as I suffered a few hard knocks against rocks. But I have this stupid smile on my face every time I think I hung ten feet above the ground, with two ropes to secure my safety."

"Don't remind me of those, have mercy."

"Witch, I'm a Slytherin." He lifted two fingers to answer the waiter's question, guiding her with a hand on her lower back towards their designated table. "I don't show mercy." Their order of drinks was taken, and he walked behind her as she headed to the breakfast buffet. He paid attention to her choices, asking what a few options were, like the coloured loops which turned to be fruity cereal for kids.

Grinning, he filled a small bowl, frowning right after as she stole a pink circle, "Don't steal from a Malfoy."

"Will your father hear about it?"

"You can count on it, fear his wrath already." With all the will in the world, there was no way that she couldn't roar at his statement, as if the big evil Lucius Malfoy could inspire terror in her.

Malfoy impressed her for being a very entertaining companion, as they reviewed their adventure of yesterday and he was honest about moments he really felt fear, a few similar to hers.

"I can't believe I froze that hard on those ropes, I mean I flew a dragon, in Merlin's name." She wove his surprise away, "The goblins kept a Ukrainian Ironbelly in the basement of the vaults, protecting foremost the most valuable ones, including Bellatrix's."

"Did you find what you sought?"

"We did, one of the Horcruxes, Helga Hufflepuff's cup. It was Bellatrix herself who made us suspicious about it, as she interrogated me," She paused for control, Draco completely silent, surprised with her answer, "She was quite in a panic trying to figure out if we had stolen something out of her vault. We broke in, found the cup, stole it and escaped the Bank on the back of a dragon that hadn't seen daylight in ages."

"I'm sorry."

She didn't expect his reaction, "What did you say?"

"I'm apologising. For what my kind did to you and the pain my family caused you." He was dead serious, "You are the better person, of the two of us."

"I disliked you for the bullying and the nasty things you made me endure at Hogwarts. You were an arse, no need to deny it." She tilted her head, "Concerning my torture at your Manor, I don't blame you for any of it." Her tea gave her a much-needed break, but at some point, she lowered her cup, "You and I weren't friends, and if you had intervened, she was so far gone from reality it might have cost your life. So no, Bellatrix deserved to die, and you are not to blame for the crimes of a family member." The chair cracked as she retreated from it, "I'm going for a new croissant, be right back."

-oOo-

* **Hermione** *

Breakfast left a weird feeling behind, Draco's apology something unexpected, even if it felt good to hear that he honestly regretted his actions as a teenager.

It didn't make him all of a sudden her favourite passenger on board, more of a less undesired person. At least, she couldn't say that having him as a meal companion was a burden, discovering a quite entertaining person behind the king of gits.

They separated afterwards, and Hermione headed towards the spa, for a relaxing massage; her body did ache.

* **Draco** *

He hid his emotions behind his mask, but the talk at the table left him undone. A burden of sorts fell off his shoulders, realising that Granger didn't blame him for his deranged aunt. She didn't belittle him after his apology concerning his school behaviour and kept the ongoing conversation following that awkward but much needed moment.

Her announcement of a visit to the wellness center didn't sit right with him, he didn't want her to leave, weirdly enough. There may be countless birds to fuck, but not many interesting women to have around and engage in exciting talks. Like what kind of books did she read, or him being free to ask her about all the Muggle stuff around them without the fear of coming across as a weirdo.

Plus, she was easy on the eyes. He had thought it before, she had become a natural beauty, no fillers, no magic to enhance or glamour. She looked the real deal.

-oOo-

 ***Day Six***

One Muggle pastime he learned to enjoy was lounging lazily under the sunlight, enjoying the view of the pool. No children to be seen, as this was an adult-only cruise, so the only swimmers were men and women, but mostly women.

Draco felt his Slytherin side float above: checking out all the women, appraising them as he used to do with his mates down the dungeons and also later at the Great Hall. Pansy argued with him multiple times, as this was a lewd body-shaming act, but it didn't stop his gang - Blaise, Theo and the two dunderheads Vincent and Greg. Stupidly enough, Draco never thought he would miss that tosser so much, the pang in his heart reminding him of his loss.

He reverted to their old habits eyeing an unaware victim, speaking low to himself, "Arse, a six, it looks like a big apple; tits don't jiggle and are about to explode from her top, only a four. Belly far from firm, but not too fat, a five because I feel generous." He sought a new prey, "Jiggling boobs, perfect size, worth a seven-"

A shadow fell over his head, "What did you just say, Malfoy?"

"Just murmuring to myself, Granger."

"It sounded like body shaming to me, you weren't rating women were you?" His face remained impassive but a blush around his ears betrayed him, and she swatted him hard on the head, "Tosser, do you consider yourself Mister Universe? You don't do that to women."

She was disrobing herself, with aggravated movements. "Granger, like you've never ogled the male goodies."

"It's not about ogling the goodies, is about comparing them, giving them scores and making women feel forced to meet the beauty ideals according to frustrated men. You only want skinny, heavy bosomed women with flat tummies and in the meantime, women are starving themselves to meet those goals, gaining eating disorders in the process. You're disgusting."

"I'm not asking those bints to skip meals." He huffed, offended.

"But you do want a top model at your side, don't you?"

"I like to be proud of my girlfriend, yes, to know she looks good. I'm just a warm-blooded wizard, sue me." _Can't she stop blaming him for all the sins of Egypt?_ "Hell, Granger, I enjoy curves on my woman. Rather some meat that I can grab onto instead of bones and skin, if you want to know." She was ruining his suntan, time to give her a cookie of his making.

"Let me satisfy your curiosity, witch. You have a healthy tummy, not flat but not fat either, earning you an eight in my scale. Your arse would fill my palms, and feel tight, as I've said, meat I can grab onto, another eight." He breathed raggedly, with a burning fire in his features. She listened stunned but didn't interrupt him, "Your tits are a man's wet dream, I bet my hands can curve around the full shape," He was flushing her, _serves her just right,_ "Plus you can't avoid me seeing your perky nipples, as like right now. Begging for attention. For that fact and their perfect rounding, a nine." Her eyes widened, "You only lose points when your mouth spouts all the know-it-all crap and acts all high and mighty around people. It is frustrating beyond measure, especially when I realise that you are capable of conducting intelligent conversations, which don't irritate; compared to other bints I know."

"Are you done?"

He pouted his lip, pondering, "I am."

"Listen carefully ferret, I will only say this once." She licked her lips, "Your arse is nicely shaped, I assume perfect for grabby hands. Your years as Quidditch player have given you a lithe build, the abs..." Hermione was beyond caring, and she patted said muscles, "Aren't visible like with bodybuilders, yet I can see them when you flex, like as in just now." She gave him the look at the display, "Flex your pecs for me, good boy. The combo pecs - abs - biceps deserve a seven."

"I agree with your assessment completely. You are intelligent, I enjoy the fact that I don't have to dumb down my wording to be understood for a change. But the arrogance that coats every statement you say works is a buzz killer; otherwise, I might overlook your Slytherin attitude and offer you a thing with benefits. Test the school gossip, you know which one…"

He gulped visibly, but she wasn't done yet, "Malfoy, I've come to an age where my brain goes from _I probably shouldn't say this_ to a _what the hell, see where this goes_." She noticed the distance between him and the edge of the pool, "I guess you need some cooling off." A well-placed nudge later and Draco found himself going under. She watched him spitting water as he resurfaced, "See you later, git."

Unknowingly, she gave the kickstart for the hunting-for-a-muggleborn-season. This means war.

-oOo-

* **Hermione** *

She joined the afternoon's yoga's lesson to calm her spirit down; she was feeling all worked up thanks to the git, whose words didn't leave her mind for a second.

Even when she was in the relaxing _balasana_ position - aka the child pose, her mind wouldn't settle down.

 _He gave her a nine for her boobs, did he compared them to Pansy's voluptuous bosom?_ The teacher told them to change into a chin mudra - the consciousness seal with crossed legs. _My belly is tight! Apart from a slight swell but she felt comfortable in her skin and enjoyed eating a biscuit or two with her afternoon tea. But my tummy is tight and relatively flat, an eight my taut arse._

This yoga class was meant to relax, an actual failure in her opinion, moving into the janu sirsasana, the heat-to-toe forward bend. _The dare of this arrogant, evil cockroach. I'll show him how desirable I look, tonight. Flash him the boobs that are part of his wet dreams, and the arse he would love to grab, alright. While I parade with some good looking bloke, shame that Nicholai was such a disaster… More fish in the ocean, I guess._

She left the class before the end, it was useless anyway. Relaxing was far from her thoughts...

-oOo-

"Where are you heading all dressed up?"

"My dragon, I didn't know you waited for me. I'm going to dine at the freedom restaurant, join a free table and hunt for tonight's conquest. Want to hunt together, love?"

"Princess, it will be an honour. I might be able to help you chose the perfect victim." He hooked her arm around his, as befitting a true gentleman, "You are doing it safe right? Imagine the gossip if you arrive back home with a bun in the oven from a stranger."

"Are you listening to your own advice, I hope?"

"Oh, love. I am. I practised how to dress my little dragon in one of those Muggle rubber jackets, I forget the name."

She burst in laughter, whispering, "You taught yourself how to put on a condom? I would have loved to see that…"

"If it would be between us two, there would be no need for rubbers. But Blaise advised me on those, as flicking the wand before the act could be tricky." Her belly shook from laughing so hard, "It took a few attempts. Will you stop grinning?"

"I can't, Malfoy!" Drying a few tears, "I can only imagine how a wizard like you read the instruction leaflet to figure out the method. Did Pansy give you a hand?"

"You're playing with fire, witch."

"Do you use your vivid imagination or did borrow one of your father's porn magazines for inspiration?"

They arrived, and Hermione checked in to be assigned to a table wherever was room.

Draco added, "I'm Drake Malone, and assign us together."

"You forgot to say please."

"I'm trying to keep my manners and not tell you to go to hell." He wished they were somewhere private to teach her a lesson. Demonstrate exactly how he tested the rubber thing.

"Newsflash, Drakey. I can't go to hell. Satan has issued a restraining order against me." The waiter sniggered behind his hand before motioning them to follow him. Their meal would develop in the company of four other couples.

The first course was served, "Drakey, darling, tell me who's your favourite lady?" Hermione loved to rile him up, "I would stay away from the grey-haired woman, I bet her perfect teeth are fake."

"Is desperate written on my forehead?" He would play her game, "Her husband wouldn't say no to a quartet; if I'm fucking her withered quim, you'll have to endure his faded dick that definitely needs the help of a potion to have an erection."

"Now I know how you tested a condom!"

"Woman, one more of those and I'll demonstrate you how easily my _wand_ works."

"Swish and flick…"

"You're asking for it…"

The table fell into meaningless chitchat, about the virtues of marriage. The older lady Malfoy described earlier, asked, "How long have you two been married, my loves?"

"Who, us?" Hermione nearly choked on her white wine, "We aren't married."

"My princess here is too shy to admit that we're engaged."

"Draco!"

"My love, I know your father doesn't approve of our relationship, but no one in here will betray us." He raised his glass in a wordless _hundred_ _points for Slytherin._

"Oh my, so romantic. Of course, my dears, you should indeed use this cruise as a much-needed break." The woman clapped in her hands, the level of romance melting all the female hearts around them. "You have quite a man at your side, my dear."

His ego grew a few feet, while Hermione munched aggressively of her chunk of celery. "Yes, he's a pleasure for the eye, I agree. But his arrogance is double the size of him, I barely have room in bed."

A shower of wine escaped from the lips of a few women, "We, ladies, know how to take them down a few tones. My sister-in-law once told me: first they do it out of love, then out of habit."

Another added, "You must show him who's the boss, right Arthur?" The brave husband nodded, in the absence of a better escape. Draco wasn't enjoying the turn of this conversation, noticing the lack of support from the male side of the table.

"The best punishment is to show them the goodies but not allow them to touch. They all become tame puppies."

It was fun to watch women flock together, Hermione was enjoying how it backfired for Malfoy. "It works every time. My Henry tried once to act like the boss, I put him in a sexual time-out for a whole week." The tone had lowered for that last piece, "He sang another tune, believe me."

Draco huffed, "That's harassment."

"No, darling. It's crossing the t's and dotting the I's." The oldest of the four women was fast in her rebuttal, "A man always has the last thing to say." He beamed, at the prospect. "It's: Yes, darling."

Chuckling everywhere, the female exuberant, the male polite.

This was not going the way he hoped, damn it.

-oOo-

During a pee break, he asked one of his companions why they let the women speak like that. The answer unsettled him even more, "Son, in time you'll figure out it's easier to go along and indeed say, _Yes darling_ , than to put your foot down. You'll live happier this way."

Another added, "If you really want something, do it outside their knowledge. They never find out."

 _Granger would._


	7. Day Seven to Ten

**Thanking once again my Magzillasaurus for the beta work. Share the love please?**

* * *

 **Day Seven to Ten**

 **Day Eight**

He found her in her favourite place on earth, even at sea, the library. His first thought was something about leopards and spots. It took him almost a whole day to find her and the day before he hadn't found her at all, much to his frustration.

"Granger."

"Yes, Master?" Her sassy answer stilled him, his brain hoping to hear her repeat the phrase at another time and place, with fewer clothes.

"Good girl, you know your place already." Her look warned him not to comment further, and he complied, reaching his goal was more important to him at the moment, "I wonder if you made your choice for the next stop, are you going for something lame? Like the tram ride over the beach? Followed by a beach break?"

"Yes, absolutely, front row seat and the best sun shade available. Select that if you want to sit with me."

"It means, hell no and absolutely not, in Granger-lish. Be nice and share with me your actual selections. We had fun together the last time, didn't we?"

"I prefer to discover the island by myself."

"I'll play nice, and you can bill me the cost, I'm offering you the trip in exchange for your company. Not even Pansy can say I ever did it for her."

"Not even for your ex-fiancée?"

"You mean As-fucking-toria? The bitch sucked up enough Galleons thank you very much. I avoided her companionship as much as possible, grew tired from her topics of conversation, the very first week. That woman only speaks about jewellery, expensive gowns and the newest society gossip."

"You prefer Quidditch and body-shaming women."

"Quidditch, the eventual subject on the Daily Prophet, and if my partner is smart enough, about potions and other interesting topics." He sat strategically next to her on the sofa, setting the booklet of excursions over her book with a pop. The look of irritation was a bonus. "Now, be a darling and explain to me what an ATV is. I guess it doesn't stand for Animagus Transfigured Vampire."

"No." Caving in, she put her book down and opened his catalogue on the chapter containing the St. Lucia's excursions, "Do you know that St. Lucia is an island with a bloody history? The French fought hard with the British for ownership."

"Am I volunteering for a Granger-lecture?"

"If you don't like it, the exit is over there, be my guest and use it at your discretion. Don't forget to take your book with you, I have a similar one in my room."

"Enlighten me about all there is to know about St. Lucia. The sooner you're done, the happier I'll be." He wanted her to accompany him, so the lecture was a minor price to pay.

"Malfoy, not good, babe. You should have said, _Yes Darling_."

The promise for a later payback silently demonstrated, figuratively adding a new stripe to his list, "Please?"

"Historical words from a Malfoy. What a shame I can't frame it." Cheeky smile. "Fine, I booked the ATV and the aerial tram ride."

"Aren't you afraid of heights?"

"It's a safe method of transportation, I'll be seated in a gondola and watch the rainforest from above." She pointed out a few pictures, "By the way, the Island's forest is protected by UNESCO, and it includes an active volcano." She turned in her seat to face him, "First, I'll see the bushes from on high and end the journey with a brisk walk on the ground floor. Not for the faint of heart."

"Alright, it sounds good to me. What about that ATV, what is that for an animal?" _He might have to remind her he used to be a Quidditch player._

She pointed at a picture of a quad, "They call them All Terrain Vehicles because they can drive over beaten tracks. It's described as the journey which will take us over incredible landscapes of the island through rough trails and plantations. Heavy thrill without bruises this time."

"Count me in, is it easy to drive one of those?"

"Do you have a Muggle drivers licence?"

"Nope."

"Than you can't be the driver. It's against their law." He looked instantly as a sad toddler, "But you can drive with me, I have one." As when the sun clears the sky after a rainstorm, his face brightened. "Assuming I want to take you with me of course."

"Hey, I thought we were becoming friends."

"It's the first that I've heard of it." She closed the book and set it in on his lap, picking up her romance novel instead.

"Why are you so mean?"

"Why were _you_ so mean to me?"

It upset him, "I apologised for my actions, Granger. What else do you want me to do?" She waited for an explanation, going by her features, "I was a moron, believing my father's words were the absolute truth. Believe me, when I saw what the Dark Lord stood for, I was revolted."

"I know, I'm happy to hear you call yourself a moron."

"You can be a bitch, Granger."

"It's a middle name of mine, nice to meet you." Her interest in the book vanished; instead, she felt hunger for dessert, "Do you want to enjoy afternoon tea with me? I'll tell you all about St. Lucia and what you should expect of the ATV adventure."

He jumped at the opportunity.

-oOo-

It turned out that the very wizard who turned eating a green apple into the sexiest thing on earth had quite a sweet tooth.

Draco made her choose something else from the menu, "Then we can trade and decide the best of the two."

"I don't want your germs on my cake, Mr. Malfoy."

"There aren't better germs in the world than the Malfoy's, my love. You don't know what you're missing. Besides, quit the crap, will you? You hooked up with Tweedledee and Tweedledum back in the sixth year, doing Salazar-knows-what and you're complaining about my microbes?"

"Nice to hear a polite version of scarhead and weasel-rat."

"I want to stay on your good side, I tend to use your guidance during this cruise."

"Smart move, git."

"I was being friendly."

"I didn't promise a thing. What's your preference?"

"The dark chocolate tart."

"Good, the Velvet cake is mine." The waitress was already taking their order, "With a mint tea please." He motioned the same as a drink.

Between telling each other stories from their dorms, Hermione had to fend him off from her cake in order to have some, he ate his at a frightening speed, plus half of hers. To the point that she battled his fork for the last piece remaining; he captured it, but she grabbed his hand and ate it right in front of his nose.

He pushed once for dinner, though she kept him at a distance, "Not tonight."

"Didn't you have fun today?"

"Until you stole more than half of my cake, yes. Tonight I want to stroll by myself. Why don't you search for a bird to keep you entertained?"

"I don't want you to feel jealous."

"Don't worry, Malfoy, I won't."

-oOo-

* **Hermione** *

She did.

Hermione spotted him at the Neptunus Grill with a woman straight out of the Witch Weekly fashion specials, wearing heels that hurt her feet already by only looking at them. Her own companion, a doctor in something, couldn't captivate her interest from the moment she noticed Malfoy.

When the blond stared at her, she engaged in a deep conversation; the man Barney, or Henry - _What's his name again?_ \- beaming at her sudden attention laid extra thick to impress the wizard a few tables away.

The blond kissed the knuckles of the model, Hermione smiled seductively from the edge of her flute to Barry. _Or Terry_. _It could be Harry._ The man invited her to the piano bar and guess who followed five minutes later? The git's choice of intimate booth only a few tables away from hers.

Barbie pulled Malfoy onto the dancefloor for one of those slow songs; Hermione nearly dragged Trey - or was it Archie? - to the centre, snaking her arms around the poor man's shoulders, who already envisioned inviting her into his room tonight.

The blond bimbo, who nearly hung on Malfoy's arms, giggled in his ear.

Hermione went over in her head, all possible wandless hexes, settling on the nastiest. Malfoy looked at her from behind the woman's shoulder, and the brunette rubbed her nose over the freshly shaved cheek of her dancing partner. "Hermione, you're quite a surprise."

"I know Barney."

"It's Harley, but you can call me anything you like, Hermione." He beamed as a five-year-old at the sight of a Christmas tree.

She lost her wits when her eyes noticed a pale hand rub over the back of the blonde Barbie, caressing the arse visibly.

"I'm sorry, I feel a headache coming up, Harvey." The disappointment hit hard, the man had a completely different idea of how the night would develop.

"Hermione, if you want, I have something in my room to help you, I'm a professor in the orthopaedic surgery."

"I don't need medicines, just a good night sleep. It was nice to meet you." She left him deceptioned on the dancing floor.

It was all fine with her, knowing that Malfoy shagged anyone who wore a skirt, but seeing it happen had lost it's fun. _Why do I care_?

Dressed only in her nighty, she watched the moonlight from her balcony. Mind in overdrive in searching of a logical explanation for her jealousy. She didn't hate the git anymore, she minorly disliked him.

He, the wizard with his witty tongue always ready with a comeback, and the body of an Adonis. He, who was surprisingly funny when he let down his guard.

A bloke who attracted nearly all female stares and a few males, but when he walked next to her, never acknowledged any of them. Because somehow he didn't pay attention to his surroundings, focusing solely on her.

This was refreshing to a girl used to dealing with wizards who checked if they were in the spotlight during the first date. Or would ignore her, and trade her company for the one of a more attractive woman.

Malfoy ignored them all. He sought her out, which worked at unsettling her. Him actively searching her out for something positive, compared to whom he used to be.

Nonetheless, he remained a git.

-oOo-

 **Day Ten**

Draco had to push a few people rudely away to reach the place where she stood. Her welcome was less warm than expected.

"Someone left her bed in a bad mood." He preferred a sassy witch over this ill-disposed.

"I don't have the energy to be nice to you today."

"Are you experiencing your monthly?" No way he accepted this shit. There had to be another reason.

"Go to hell."

"Oh love, where do you think I come from?" Willing or not he was destroying her fences.

Hermione decided last night, to put distance between them; the last thing she needed was complications to her life in the shape of a blond, irresistible and unforeseeable snake.

"If you're not in your mps, or whatever you girls call it, be a sweetheart and tell me what got your knickers in a knot. I'll be Tweedledee for one day."

She chuckled, "Can't you be Tweedledum?"

"Don't push it, darling." He led her to the appointed guide, with a hand on her elbow, "I'm allergic to red hair." He entered the minibus after her, "What's up with you?"

"Never mind, I got up on the wrong side of the bed."

"Do you need a hug? It works with Pansy."

"Hell no, it's full of Barbie germs." His remark actually surprised her, but she startled from the minivan's brusk move which almost sent her on his lap. "You cuddled with Parkinson?"

"Pans could act overdramatic in the first day of her monthly, and often was a hug the miracle medicine." The minivan jumped a few times over a bumpy road. "Wait. Are you jealous?" He was a Slytherin, cunning one of his best traits.

"Of what?"

"Not a what, more a who. I see it clear now, love. Blondie from yesterday, you hated to see me with her, didn't you?

A new shape turn almost sent Hermione to the corridor, her fall saved by his quick reflexes. She thanked him with a smile. "The idea, Malfoy! Me? Jealous of your conquest? Gosh, you sound so ridiculous."

"Shall I tell you how the night continued? First, your man was a mess after you left him, but an old rag flashed him her boobs or something, and he forgot completely about your cowardly exit."

"I excused myself politely."

"After arousing the man, witch. He already imagined how many positions he could roleplay with you before you shredded his fantasies to pieces. I almost felt sorry for the tosser." Finally, they arrived at the gondolas, queuing for the next one. "My empty-headed bint needed a hearing aid, I had to repeat my sentences each time and use the little words, dropping the whole conversation to a lower level than your Weaselbee." She giggled.

Draco offered her a hand to help enter the gondola, and she moved to the front, claiming a seat at one of the front rows - first at the edge, but soon she forced him to change positions. The more the cart wobbled, the less secure she felt. With a jerk, the whole thing came into motion.

"Did you fuck her?" The fear which was crawling in her system seemed to take her filter away. She regretted her choice of activity already.

Sensing her distress, he laced his fingers with hers, "No. She spoke with such a high tone of voice that it felt like sharp nails on my skin. It reminded me of Umbridge." Her discomfort grew, and he let go of her hand to pull her close to his body, grounding her. "Don't look down, but straight ahead, Granger."

"It doesn't make this thing less wobbly." Her nails were digging half-moons on his legs, even through the fabric by the feeling. She seemed to have left her bravery in her room, closing her eyes in terror. "I can be such a moron…"

"Pity I can't frame this moment: you calling yourself a moron." She was getting paler bythe minute. "Look over there at how beautiful it is."

"Tell me all about it," The regret was complete, and she calculated that they weren't even halfway over the first part, "I prefer not to watch."

His hand forced her head onto his shoulder, and he described the sightings with a soft voice, "It looks like those pictures on our books about the Amazon. The Amazon of St. Lucia. Tall trees some subtropical, landscapes with grass. Breath deep, Granger, I can smell the Magnolias. The scenery is a true mix of botanical gardens and rainforest."

His voice calmed her down, "What else?" She registered the faint flowery smell mixed with his perfume and a male essence, a Malfoy trait, for sure.

"This thing is lowering, I think the next part will be shortly after."

"Thank God. Next time I want to select something hanging on two ropes, stop me." There was something about his scent and in his voice that woke up a trust in her senses. She felt safe, a perception of confidence in his ability to protect her; where this thought came from, hell if she knew.

The arrival was shaky at best, Hermione tensing at every jerk and feeling him tense as well, though more to secure her than out of fear; exiting the gondola didn't happen fast enough for her taste. Hermione let go of reason and kissed him in the cheek, "Thank you. I wouldn't have made it without you."

Totally not expecting her appraisal, he shied away, the smile slipping through his features while he digested her words. If his father could see him now, he would have a go at him for the un-Malfoy-worthy response.

But their guide was on a schedule, and they had no time to consider each other's reactions, following the path over a bumpy track at a high pace. The second half of the journey was described as solely suitable for persons in good physical condition, and it wasn't exaggerated.

Heavy panting, and a few sore muscles later, they arrived at the end, accepting the refreshment promptly.

"I regret not bringing my camera with me. We walked through amazing views."

"You only saw half of it, Granger. You missed the majority when you kept your eyes closed. I wonder where your Gryffindor courage has gone."

"I left it on the ship."

"I'm supposed to feel safe with you behind the wheel of that quad?"

"The quad doesn't fly!" She dreaded the pleasure he would find in mocking her about the gondola, "Plus, I'm a decent driver."

"Is it difficult?"

"What?"

"Learning how to drive?"

"Will you mock me as well, with what I'm about to say?" His denial wasn't much reassuring, "Driving a car is a combination of feet, hands and reflexes. In the beginning, it's quite frightening, so much happening at the same time. Now, it feels like second nature."

"Why did you learn?"

"I wanted to drive my dad's car." She hoped furiously, he wouldn't ask further. Much to her surprise, his focus detoured into the search for food; his stomach was growling loud, and she smirked.

"All the nature smells woke up the beast in me. If you don't feed me soon, I'll become an arse."

"Can't let that happen, I enjoy this git-version."

-oOo-

St. Lucia offered a varied cuisine, combining French, Creole and West-Indian influences. Instead of choosing a safe British alternative, they settled on taking a mix of plates, tapas-sized, allowing them to savour a bit of everything.

He loved the sweet tastes, and she delighted in the spicy varieties, both so deep in conversation that they fed each other with the fingers, absent-minded. In companionship.

Hermione broke a chunk of bread, "Shit, my tongue is on fire."

"I see no flames."

"I'm not a dragon."

"I'm not so sure, you can bristle like a Hungarian Horntail in my humble opinion." The clock pointed out it was time to head over to the next meeting point, shortcutting her urge to snark. Not that her fury escaped his notice, to his satisfaction.

-oOo-

Reading about a quad and seeing one was a world of difference to Draco. His fingers tingled to confound their guide about a stupid piece of paper, which he would have done, if not for a strategically placed palm on his wand hand. Breaking the rules were for Hermione limited to when there was no other way out.

"When I see a moment, I'll let you take the wheel. But we're not committing fraud." The guide gave a quick rundown about the driving procedures, which Draco followed with more attention than the brunette, who smiled at the display.

She took her place at the wheel, he scooted behind her tightening his legs around hers. The adrenaline burned harder in his veins than hers, the way he held onto her waist the giveaway. The engine growled. He cheered.

She drove safely at first, choosing the least bumpy parts, but his hunger for adventure was hard to ignore. "Don't drive like you're flying an old Cleansweep, Granger. Where's your bravery? Look at the bloke at the front, he's having the time of his life. Give me some thrill, woman, I beg you."

"Oh bloody hell, if I'm hurt I'll draw blood. Yours!" She stepped harder on the gas, felt the quad jerk at the extra power but she had to admit, there was something exhilarating riding over the bumps and the landings which splashed sand and eventual water over them. His wild laughter reminded her of Harry's delight on his Firebolt.

At a few places, she had to fend off long branches of trees and low plants, one or two hitting Draco square in the face because he was paying attention to the view around him but not to what was in the front.

"Duck, Malfoy!"

"What?" Too late, "Ah, fuck. Granger, your warning was tardy. Shit, that hurts." He rubbed the bridge of his nose.

The path led them to the beach, where they got the green light to drive freely through the water. The roars of laughter surpassed the quad's engine growling, even if they all punched the gas deep. Getting wet by salt water, was the least of their concerns, nor splashing the driver behind them. In no time, Hermione and Draco were soaking wet, cheeks aching from their wide grins and he kept grabbing her tighter around the waist from excitement.

Hermione steered the vehicle to a hidden spot and traded places with the blond. She bet the thrill of driving outdid the one of flying, he glowed of delight, "You paid attention to the driving tutoring?"

"Hell yes, right foot for the gas left to break. Hop on, let me show you what a real wheelman looks like." He flew bent low, and she hid her face on his back. Draco copied one of the wildest riders, creating a tunnel of salt water wherever they passed, "Woohoo!"

Her hands felt his abs flex at every move, the awareness was so more different from Ron's. Only Nicholai beat him in sensation, but she preferred Draco's build. Lithe, yet powerful.

It was time to follow the guide into the last part of the trail, "We need to switch again, Malfoy."

"They don't know it's me. Please, Granger?"

Who knew Malfoy could do puppy eyes? It melted all her resolve away. A wave of her hand seemed to equal the approval to open his most coveted Christmas gift. He took off, rolling over every bump on the ground, yelling his lungs out but never forgetting to warn her of impending danger. "Go to the right... careful with the branch ahead... the left now, Granger…"

The end approached faster than he wanted, he could have gone for ages on this thing. Draco felt her dismount, took off his helmet, ranking his fingers through his hair, and swapped her off her feet, kissing her fully on the lips. "I love flying, but this is a close second. Granger, I owe you one."

She nodded. It was impossible to speak coherently. Her brain stopped working.

-oOo-

* **Draco** *

"I'm starving. Where do you want to dine this evening?" His excitement was yet glowing over his entire person.

"Malfoy, I'm exhausted. I'll be ordering some room service, but I'll hit the bed early." Her tired smile hid more than he could discern. "I had fun today, Malfoy."

"Are you sure?" He tried to fend off a bummed tone in his voice, but had to watch her return to her suite; her nod and especially the peck on his cheek left a burning mark on his face.

He enjoyed spending time with her, Granger had a spirit for adventure he rarely found on a witch. A sense that appealed to him, in a brand new way.

He took his book, ordered something from room service like Granger - without her, he had no juice left to endure crowds tonight - and set on the intent to study the damn catalogue: highlighting the most adventurous activities.

Plus, work out a plan to use all his Slytherin charm and convince his witch into cooperating, expand their world with new breathtaking experiences. Experiences that are entirely unfamiliar to their wizarding world, which was sadly enough limited to flying. His long-time assumption of how superior the Purebloods were, was cracking and replaced by the proof of how freer the Muggles lived and rejoiced. Yes, he might have tricks under his sleeve, thanks to a wand and centuries old knowledge, but Muggles compensated for it with others. Superiority was a lie.

He counted on this Muggleborn witch to help him discover this unknown world, in the next eighty-ish days. In return, he would pamper her as she deserved. Treat her with every good thing the Malfoy can offer.

He sipped the last bit of scotch, glanced over the division into her room, which was bathed in darkness, with closed curtains. His mouth curved into a soft smile, remembering their day and her decision of going to sleep early.

He lost himself in thoughts, remembering the first moment he saw her on board, the frustration burning under his skin. Of all places, _she_ had to be on his deliberate choice for anonymity. Now he couldn't wait for the new day to see her again. Pushing her buttons remained a beloved pastime, but bring her to laughter converted into much the same, if not already his favourite.


	8. Day Eleven

**Me offers this chapter as an escape to the Christmas preparations madness. Suggests you keep something cool at hand, which can go with the lemons in this chapter. Thanks, once again, my lovely Magzillasaurus for her continuous beta work and giggles.**

* * *

 **Day Eleven**

Hermione barely sat down for breakfast with her choice of food, before Draco made himself comfortable on the opposite chair. "Granger, Aruba. What's fun to do?"

"I haven't read it yet, Malfoy. I slept like a rock last night. Give my brain the time to come to its senses."

"I know... the quad was awesome, I'm buying one of those when I'm home." Scaring his father's white feathered peacocks sounded fun. He sipped his tea, opening the book on the page with the folded corner. "They offer catamaran sailing and snorkelling, butterfly sightings, shopping - Granger I'm not going to visit stores the whole day, forget it!- and there's this scenery walk with beach fun afterwards. What's snorkelling?"

"Diving, but not too deep, with gear on to see the underwater world." Her brain begged her to skip that over. "Go if you feel like it, but I would enjoy some lighter activity tomorrow. Beach fun sounds pleasant."

He perused through the description, "It starts with a rough walk over sightseeing views before the beach." He pursed his lips, "Are you up to that sort of activity?"

"First work my arse out before I can stretch it on the sand? I can live with such, I know that the snorkelling option will be possible again, later; there are a few other interesting locations ahead." _Someone had more energy than her this morning_ ; she preferred an extra day off, before engaging in another intense activity. Yet, shopping was not on her priority list either.

"I'll tell that prick of a Prikkens to sign us up for this sight-seeing and beach."

"Malfoy, its Perkins. The man will be friendlier to you if you make an effort to learn his name." The yawn escaped before she could contain it. Still half asleep, she spread a tad too much chocolate over her croissant, but _who_ _cares_. As usual, he dismissed her comment with a hand. He wasn't planning on becoming big chums with the arrogant butler.

She bit her pastry lazily when she noticed him rub a spot on his shoulders. "Malfoy, are the ants attacking you?"

"Funny Granger, I have a sore spot on my shoulder, if you're interested. Feels like sandpaper." He pushed away the collar revealing his red shoulder to her, the white stripe in the middle coinciding with the strap of his sleeveless shirt. "Burns like hell too, I have no idea why."

"Have you applied sunscreen since we boarded?"

"Me and creams? Are you nuts? I'm no Pansy Parkinson, witch. Shaving cream is all I use." The huff was a real offended one, _who did she take him for?_

"You're an idiot. We are in the open sea, the sun is the heaviest where we navigate, not applying sunscreen is fishing towards the winning lottery ticket for sunburn. That's what the red patch is." Wizards really relied on magic for all issues… luckily she was almost finished with her breakfast. "Follow me to my room, I have a salve for your little problem."

-oOo-

"Take your shirt off," she rummaged in her vanity bag, searching for the needed pot.

"Love, if you want to see me shirtless, you can ask nicely, you know?"

"Malfoy, your little problem is interfering with my plans for a hot stone massage. There are two ways to deal with this: you take my salve and see to your issue by yourself, or you zip it and let me help you so I can go on my way."

"Hot stone massage? What kind of beast is that?" _What else have the Muggles come up with?_

"It starts with a ughhh followed by an ahhh."

Draco blinked, "Come again?"

"They rub hot stones on your back, first it's a tensed ugh because the rocks are scalding hot, but when you get used to the heat, it becomes an ahhh because it feels so damn good. My preferred type of massage…"

"You make those sounds on the massage table?" The thought raised other ideas in his mind, not the sort she was ready to deal with.

"I guess we all do." He blushed, and she could almost guess where his mind was going. "Bring your dirty thoughts to a stop, Malfoy. I'm helping you with a sunburn, not with your boner."

"My boner wouldn't say no to some of your attention." The cream had a cooling effect on his skin, he nearly kissed her out of gratitude. On a specific point he hissed, and Hermione tsk'ed.

"From now on, you rub sunscreen on your pale skin, or I'm no longer your partner for excursions."

"Alright, mum." Her fingers were doing miracles, "You don't know a protection spell, do you?"

"Spells don't help against such powerful sun, it's fine for our UK weather, but this is another beast altogether. You need protection, especially with your complexion." Hermione washed her hands off. "I want to go to my massage. Lift your royal arse out of my bed and go pester someone else."

"I'm coming with you." He wasn't letting her out of his sight, "You claim to make those little noises. I must be sure it's from the massage and not some bloke using you."

"Haha, so funny. What if I want my masseur to give me _that_ _kind_ of attention? What's your problem?" Until now, she had only seen female employees, but if her moment of pleasure was with one of those muscled men… she thought back on her foam massage at that hammam. The Turkish masseur gave her a good rub on her thighs, and she kept hoping he would touch her a little higher.

"Not happening under my watch, that's harassment." He didn't like the idea, not a bit. "I have to protect your virtue."

Hermione extended an arm, forcing him to leave her suite, finger stretched out, "That's big coming from you. I'll admit that we're becoming sort of friends, but you're far from being my boyfriend. My sex life is mine to rule."

He walked with her to deck B, following her to the Spa. "You shouldn't be violated by a bloke who wants to put his paws on you, while you're in a delicate state. It's pure abuse."

"Explain your behaviour, is this a Malfoy trait or a Slytherin thing?"

"Both. We snakes are protective of our girls."

"I'm not your girl." His eyes added silently _yet_ to her statement.

"Didn't you just say that I'm a friend, Granger?' Hermione nodded, "It makes you my girl. I'm staying."

"You're not. I'll be half naked inside, I don't want you ogling my curves." She wanted privacy, _was it so much to ask?_

"You have nothing I haven't seen before. I'm not leaving."

"Go search for your Barbie doll if you want some naked arse, if you enter my booth I'm hexing your balls."

"No need to get violent. Why can't I stay? You're full of talk about Slytherins, in the end, we protect our girls better than your Gryffindor tossers."

"That's a lie. Harry and Ron watched over me." Her arms crossed before her chest.

"Love, now you're violating the truth. Those two empty heads are alive thanks to this brain of yours," his finger tapped on her forehead, "Not the other way around." Arguing further was pointless. "You win, don't come crying to me if you are harmed."

Furious, he spun and marched away, not even understanding why he was so mad in the first place, _she had a point_. He wasn't her boyfriend, and her sex life was hers to determine.

Hermione remained for a second where she stood, wondering exactly the same. Eleven days ago, they cursed the presence of the other aboard, now he wanted to protect her virtue. How much weirder would this all become?

-oOo-

*Hermione*

Her masseur was the old woman's Turkish bloke. _If I see her again, I'll have to tell her he does hot stones too…_ He brought her to a dimmed room, relaxing music playing softly in the background and the scent of burn essence filled the area. He told her to undress her upper body and lie down on her belly, and that he would return in a few minutes.

Hermione couldn't shake away the naughty smile on her face. On the one hand, the man was a real stud, a muscled chest to make a woman drool, the shirt did nothing to conceal its v-shape. The pants were wrapped around powerful legs. The face was a pleasure for the eye too, square jaw with a trimmed stubble and sharp cheekbones, dark hair, pale skin. The old bat was correct in her assessment, indeed.

From the other side, that talk about virtue made her want to prove a point. It was her sex life, not his to protect. _As if she needed a snake for protection!_

The man entered and started his job, the first contact with a scorching stone drawing a long sigh of pleasure from her lips. Sooner than she wished, her hour had passed, but Hermione didn't want to leave, the relaxed feeling was a genuine blessing.

"Does madam desire a good massage on the legs too?"

 _Hell yes!_ "That would be good…" He used a warm oil in his hands, something spicy that soothed the senses. But the way the man rubbed her skin was all but soothing. He used the knuckles to give her thigh muscles a decent massage, and every time he got closer to her centre, the deeper she breathed, the arousal overpowering over her senses.

She wasn't, however, so bold to ask the man to stroke that part of her body which ached for a good turn. How the old bat did it, she could only guess, but Hermione lacked that kind of courage. Instead, she panted against the back of her hand, closed her eyes and surrendered to the sparks of desire. Fantasising about pale strong fingers spreading her nether lips, touching the dripping core, circling the hungry nub.

"Madam, I can ease you…" Her breath stoked, her very first thought: _the gall of the man! Girl!_ _Who am I fooling?_ The wet spot on her knickers was probably impossible to ignore and her quickened breathing, no matter how much she tried to mute, was hard to neglect either.

"Do you propose such to every woman you treat?"

"Only to those who give the signs, madam. I apologise for the offence, madam."

"How?"

"I don't understand…"

"How can you…" She gulped, clearing the throat to speak up. _She was so horny, and there was this incredibly attractive bloke offering…_ "How can you help me?"

The man chuckled huskily, "Anyway madam wishes... for you, it's for free."

"Excuse me?"

"Madam, my extra services are offered at a price." His fingers kept caressing her legs tantalising, "But for such a beautiful lady, I do not require payment. It would be my pleasure." His hand was now dangerously close to her apex. _I must be really horny…_ Hermione spread her legs instinctively. A brush of a finger and she jerked.

"Only fingers."

"As you wish." The man restarted his vigorous massage over her full right leg, but as he hit the core, the stroking gained pressure. He repeated the movements on the other leg, increasing the speed gradually. The thumbs would press her mid muscles on her upper thigh, but the digits would massage the centre of her nerves. "Do I continue over the clothes?"

 _Fuck, I'm glad the snake isn't here to watch…_ Her hands pulled her knickers down, assisted by the bloke's big hands. He spread her legs, for better access, and focussed first his attention on her globes, massaging the firm flesh with circling movements.

The man knew his way around a woman's core. She was trashing and mewling, male fingers brushing her clit correctly, and ghosting around her pussy. Each time he touched her entrance, she would rise her hips invitingly, asking for more. A fingertip tested the waters, and she pushed back to feel the full length rub her walls. He set a pace.

"One more…" Hermione blushed from her boldness. She chased the peak, and his curling digits were doing wonders to her hunger. Her nipples brushed against the towel protecting the table.

How long it took, she didn't know, the concept of time was blurry, yet, the coil in her belly became heavier, breathing heavily in small puffs between her moans. Her breasts brushing against the terrycloth, his fingers rubbing her special inner place and the thumb knowingly pressing on her clit. It was all too much, and she exploded.

Eyes closed tight, she screamed, "Draco."

Her outburst scared the shit out of her, eyes flying open. Yet, she couldn't deny that every time she glued a face to the man's fingers it was a certain blond she saw…

The waves of pleasure were still flowing through her, the man rode her orgasm out until the fluttering of her pussy settled down. He put her knickers back on, "I'll leave you, madam. If you require any of my services later, I'll be at your disposal, just ask for Yusuf. Mr. Draco is a lucky man…"

She whispered a thank you, nodding absently. The embarrassment was real. _In the heat of being satisfied thoroughly by a pussy expert_ \- she giggled at the label - _you go and scream the git's name. What the fuck? I gotta to admit, the ferret is man candy, and I'm only human... Oh hell, if he knew..._

-oOo-

Hermione found the object of her hidden fantasy pouting, two hours later, "Hey, I'm back." He pretended to read a book on a lounger, at the front of the ship; it was the fourth spot she tried before she found him.

"I'm not talking to you." He ostensibly looked the other way.

"Alright, sweet boy, tell mummy what's the problem." He kept up with his silent game, and she nudged him. "Would you follow Pansy into the room?"

"I've shagged her, her body holds no secrets." Draco kept staring the other way. Who was passing in his view didn't even register.

She threw her arms in the air, victoriously, "He talks!" Not one to be ignored so easily, she sat on his lounger, shoving his legs to the side until her position was comfortable. "Tell me, who didn't you shag from Slytherin? Daphne?" He shrugged, "Tracey?" A new shrug, "Is there a female snake who didn't let you inside her pants?"

"I'm a man with needs, I don't turn down an offer easily." He waited for her witty comeback when none came, he admitted, "Millicent."

"Ah ha!"

He rose a warning finger, "Uhhu, not so fast. I didn't shag her because I have standards." She released a questioning sound, "I didn't fuck Milly, because I don't dip my dick in every quim, not for lack of invitation." The idea made him shiver.

His statement met an incredulous headshake. "Would you enter the massage room if it was Milly on the table?"

"What part of the word standards don't you understand?" His frown hid under his fringe.

"Why are you so keen on keeping watch over my virtue?" Hermione pulled her knees up, and let her chin rest on top.

"Because if someone makes you make those little noises, it should be me." He seethed, "I want to be the one to draw out the uh's and ah's from your lips, not a bimbo in white robes. Now, are you satisfied, Miss need-to-know-all?" His mouth was set in a hard line. "Did you enjoy it?"

"Oh yes, the man knew what to do with his hands and fingers." A smile tugged at her lips, her mind replaying the memories, especially at its surprising end. She looked away into the distance blinking a few times.

It was impossible for him not to draw the right conclusions, her blush impossible to overlook. It irritated him even more; the feeling brought up conflicting thoughts, _Why did it irk him so?_

Her brain caught up with the few words he said, "Does it hurt to admit it, Malfoy?"

He sat straighter on his lounger, impatiently. "Admit what, swot?"

"That my body meets your criteria?" He swallowed visibly, flushing. "What would you father say?"

"Forget I said it, okay?" He stood so fast up from his lounger that she slid down to the end, due to the weight shift.

"Oops!" Hermione erupting in a peal of laughter.

He gave her a hand, grinning widely from her embarrassing position, "I want to say I'm sorry for not respecting your privacy, but you know, my father would berate me. Malfoy's don't apologise to peasants."

"Oh, right." _He was going to regret this_. Putting her hands around her mouth, she announced to everyone who could hear, "My friend is gay, and he's searching for a partner!"

His mouth fell open, flushing over his whole body, frozen for a few moments, "I'm fucking not!"

"Malone, it's not a shame to admit your sexual identity, my dear friend. Maybe there are men around here that will awaken your heart." She turned to her public, discovering a few blokes indeed openly admiring the blond, "He's so disappointed in love." Hermione mouthed payback.

"Granger, undo this shit right now!"

She shrugged apologetically, hand against the bosom, "I'm a mere peasant, I can't."

"Granger, I'll make you regret your words if you don't tell these people the truth. I'm not interested in blokes!" Draco seethed.

The entire episode was followed by a broad majorly female public who understood what was going on. For the few gays around, their dream of pursuing an attractive bloke died as well, Draco's denial wasn't from someone trying to hide his true identity but from pure horror. Either way, all enjoyed the way the blond was writhing in panic, eager to set the truth right.

"Granger." He dragged her to a dark corner and disapparated them into his suite, "Let me show you exactly why Pansy gave me the title of sex god." He gave her no time to think, ripping away her bikini pareo, pulling the cups of her bikini down and taking a nipple into his mouth, while a hand dived down under the waistline of her bottom, a finger finding the centre of her core effortlessly.

"Fuck, Malfoy." Hermione jerked, the arousal not only intensified by her need to be taken decently but also from conceding to the attraction she felt towards the wizard. The little intermezzo with her masseur had been only an appetizer. Impatient, she ripped his shirt off, getting his cooperation to ditch it all altogether, and hooked her fingers onto the waist of his swim trunks to free his cock, which begged for attention.

She took him in her hand, pumping with long strokes, feeling him harden even more. Her thumb played with the drop of pre-cum, spreading it over the head. Hermione tensed when his finger entered her quim, soon followed by a second, gazes fixed on each other, panting.

"I need to fuck you." He hoisted her, pressed her against the wall and wasted no more time, possessing her in a single thrust. She gasped audibly, overwhelmed by his intrusion. She missed this kind of carnal desire, her latest partners lacking a sense of determination to own her. Draco took all she had to give and then more. No mercy, no soft caresses, only hard rutting into her core, grunts in her ear, unless his mouth was busy devouring her breasts, biting in her perky nubs before sucking them deep into his mouth.

It was hot. It was intense. It was what she fantasized over, during a few of those me-times. "Fuck, Malfoy… Shit, what are you doing to me… Draco..."

"I fucking you senseless, Granger." He surrendered to his desire, kissing her between speaking, hands holding hers above her head. She met him at every thrust, heels digging in his arse to pull him even deeper. "I've dreamed about this for so long, witch… Letting my cock fill your quim." Her walls fluttered around his girth. "Yes, Granger, grip my dick… Yes, oh fuck, you feel so good…"

He muttered incoherent words, self-control completely vanished and replaced by the human need of intimacy. Her arms wrapped tighter around his back, the ripples of her own orgasm pulling his out of his body, and he growled. Deep from his throat, his grunt arose by his jerks, as he came inside her with powerful thrusts. His seed filling her womb in spurts.

Sweat drops ran down his spine, as he sought to ground himself against her body. His legs trembling from exertion. Between large intakes of breath, Hermione smiled of fulfilment. Draco drew his head back to stare at her, unsure of what to expect. His surprise invaded his foggy brain, initially suspecting his balls to be hexed, yet instead, finding an eager woman who didn't hold back her desire.

"You will not hold back this pussy from me, witch. I demand free access to your quim, from now on."

"You don't have the right to demand shit, Malfoy. I fuck who I want, today it was you, tomorrow probably someone else."

This was not what he used to hear, and it didn't sit well. "Tell me if I'm not the first man that has satisfied you thoroughly in a long time. You squeezed my dick for dear life, love. I felt it."

"It could be the case, but the Malfoy that dictates my life still has yet to be born. I'm going for a swim, I need to cool off."

"Shower with me, then we go for dinner and repeat this all over in a decent bed." She wanted to tie the bikini straps, but he kept loosening them up, to her frustration. "I can give you a good rub on your back, I've always wanted to rake my fingers through your curly hair."

"Draco, you've never stopped bullying me for the bush I call hair, if I'm not mistaken."

"I'm a Malfoy and a Slytherin, I couldn't go and tell the world I fantasised about this waterfall of brown curls around my face, could I? I had a reputation to maintain."

"Where's the preoccupation with your reputation now?"

"My foremost worry is my need to eat your pussy under the rain shower, we'll talk later about reputation."

Her resolve wasn't steady enough to keep him at bay, and she undressed on her way to his bathroom, while he admired her curves from behind. The warm water was barely on, or he pushed her front against the wall, spread her legs enough to dive into her quim from the back, fingers slipping into her dripping core, her juices mixing with his seed.

His own groin was hungry to sink into her hot cavern, but he held back. Draco bit in her globes and upper thighs, licked her puckered hole and her core entrance, while the fingers played with a sensitive clit. He had her trembling in no time, her second orgasm soon following and surprising them both with a squirt.

He licked it all, like a thirsty man.

Tired of being pressed against a wall, she pushed off, making him fall on his arse from the unexpected move, and straddled his hips, sinking onto his erection. "You made me squirt."

Draco couldn't avoid a satisfied smirk, "I'm a sex god, Granger, yours for the time being." Her face darkened, and he amended one of his last words, "Hermione." His hands showed her the pace, her thighs abided the rhythm, while her hand directed a breast into his mouth.

"Suck, Draco. Suck on my nipple hard…" He bit her instead, causing her to yelp of pain mixed with desire; he repeated the treatment on the other side. She mewled loudly. His large palms rose to weight the mounds and changing from nubs, he grunted against her skin.

Tired of her position, she rose to her feet, changed of stance and lowered onto his lap, riding him in a reverse cowgirl. The access he lost to her bosom was compensated by a pressing thumb at the entrance of her puckered hole. His rubbing making her rock harder on his dick.

He rose her up, let his dick slip from her pussy to coat a finger in her juices, bringing her back onto his cock. The lubricated finger played with her arse hole, and without notice, it sought entrance. It made the fire inside her burn hotter, Hermione arching her back in pleasure. His finger fucked her rear channel at the same rhythm his cock rutted into her quim. Draco knew he wasn't going to last long at this pace.

Hermione followed her base instincts, pushing her core hard onto him, the sensation of cock and finger robbing her of her senses. Seeking grip with her hands on his ankles, she rutted into him with abandon and came loud, feeling him also fall over the edge and pumping hot jets of seed once more into her core. He slapped her arse, once, twice, intensifying her desire while giving his a way out.

Possessed by arousal, he grabbed her by her waist and pulled her flush against his body, a hand rubbing circles on her clit, while he jerked a time or two before he was spent.

The hot water did nothing to cool their exhaustion off, yet it was a welcoming effect.

"I surrender. You and I, friends with benefits when it suits us. No rubber needed, or obliviating afterwards, no frustrations out of dissatisfaction. Plus, no strings attached." She spoke huskily.

"Explain that last one," He was still panting, "I agree with the first."

"I don't want to fall in love anymore. Love hurts." Her legs were unsteady while she rose to her feet. She gave him a hand in aid, which he took only to have a hold on her again.

"I'm not looking for a wife either, but I want this to be more than a shag now and then." Draco pushed her under the stream of water, raking his fingers down her curls, wettening the strands as he had always dreamed of. "We spend time together, we go as partners to whatever excursion we mutually decide. I refuse, however, to hide; we aren't each other's dirty secret, Hermione."

"I accept." His fingers were doing magic on her scalp, Hermione would sign for more of this too. It amused her also how he rinsed her hair and applied conditioner, combing the strands with his fingers. "Where did you learn to do this, Malfoy?"

"Draco, from now on. You can't ride my dick and still call me by my family name. To answer your question, I did it for Pansy. I can be a nice gentleman, you know?" She returned the favour, using the moment to let her palms roam over his lightly chiselled chest. "I feel no pain doctor, don't worry. My abs are working just fine."

"You are a git."

"I've become your git." He bit her bottom lip, "All this fucking is making me hungry. Feed me, woman, so I can give you pleasure once more."

"I could use a time-out, there are sore places in my nether areas."

"Don't worry, I'll take care of those after dinner." His hand swatted her arse. The cruise just became a little more interesting.


	9. Day Twelve

**I hope that your Xmas was as lovely as mine, full of whatever your heart wishes. Read the next chapter with caution, it might get wet ;) As always, I'm grateful for my Magzillasaurus help** **.**

* * *

 **Day Twelve**

The booklet had warmed her up to white-sand beaches and crystal-clear seas. The announced flamingos were taking a day off by the looks of it, unless she was becoming colour blind.

When the ship entered the Caribbean waters of this One Happy Island - as it was described - she pictured herself already with a cocktail in hand, under a straw umbrella and enjoying the delights of trees swaying at the ever so slight breeze with a touch of cold air. She only missed the hip-swaying dancers, but that might be for another island, she chuckled.

Her companion frowned at her laugh but refrained from comment. Her genuine enthusiasm for docking at a new destination wasn't strange anymore as this was their third port of the twenty left to do. He didn't however, let a moment go lost to warn the other predators, that this witch was taken. Was it a hand on the lower back, or even an arm snaking around her shoulders caressing the skin with a soft stroke. For as long as she wanted him, he would not skip a moment of breathtaking sex, considering himself an idiot if he let the opportunity go.

In return, he gave her the ultimate pleasure and had admired her soft features while she slept, exhausted after a round or two between the sheets. Her stamina surprised him, as did her playfulness in bed. The woman with the stamp of prudishness had imagination surprisingly beyond the classic missionary. _Where did she learn them?_

-oOo-

The classic buzz of the ship announced their deboarding. As a herd, the majority of the passengers left to their intentions of the day. Hermione and Draco had their sporty shoes on for a steady hiking. It started with a drive up to the oldest lighthouse on the Island, the California lighthouse, in the middle of low bushes and rocky underground, the perfect spot to view the coastline and the coral shorelines of the island.

From there they were brought by minibus to the Natural Bridge, the natural coral limestone cliff was chiselled away into a natural bridge, between the Bushiribana Gold mine ruins and the Andicuri Beach.

"It seems this natural rock formation stands seven meters above sea level, it's one of the largest in the world."

"We often forget that nature has a power we should respect more." He was enjoying her listing of facts. Draco also had a hunger for knowledge, these small details made a difference between understanding what surrounded you and simply seeing without comprehending. "Water seems to have quite a destructive force. It's quite long too, I assume."

"Wait, let me see…" She perused around the flier from the tourist guide, "It says here, thirty meters." A mention of a baby bridge made her look for its path with outstretched neck. "There should be a second one not far from here."

"I'll ask…" Shortly after, he returned, took her hand and guided her following the leader's instructions, "It's not far from where we stand." It was a hard surface to walk on, a few times it was his hand that prevented her fall or his, for that matter. When they arrived at the spot, Draco and Hermione simply enjoyed the sound of the waves crashing on the rock, the only noise among the silence. He held her in front of him, cheek resting upon the side of her head, while his arms kept her firmly against his body.

Her own arms covered his, face raised toward the sun.

A whistle from their leader woke them from their little moment, and they moved on to another miracle of nature, the Casibari rock formation. Hermione didn't get enough of the view from the journey the minibus took, nose nearly glued to the window.

She faced his gaze with a broad smile, which died down when she noticed two red spots on his cheeks, "Did you put some sunscreen?" He met her with a guilty look, "How, in Merlin's name, is this possible! This skin needs protection!" She took her tube and rubbed some of the cream on his face and the part of arms not covered by his white shirt. "Haven't you learned your lesson?"

"I was testing you, to see if you care." This was Granger in lecture mode, one he saw so often rebuking scarhead and weaselbee back at Hogwarts.

"I'm not your mother. If you keep doing this, I'll let you suffer the consequences. Your shoulder is nothing compared to your whole body!" She closed the container huffing in frustration, rubbing her hands on her denim shorts. Which she regret almost immediately from the greasy spots in created. It irritated her even more.

"I'm sorry, 'Mione. I'm not in the habit and I forgot it." Draco rubbed the back of her neck.

"I hate that nickname, you must have picked it up from Ron, but please refrain from using it."

"I won't do it again. Your name is quite long you know?" His thumb was stroking circles on a spot on her throat, the long breath she took his sign that it was well-liked. "What can I use instead?" He breathed into her ear, "Pet? Love? Kitten? Mia?"

"Mia sounds nice." Hermione was melting into his touch, cursing his ability to vanish her frustration with a rub of a finger.

"My Mia." He bit her earlobe, foreplay didn't need to be limited to the confines of their room. The way she flushed, pleased him to no end.

-oOo-

The sight of the Casibary rock formation brought them to a standstill.

Somehow, rock formations rose from the desert soil in an unusual setting, forming picturesque sightings. Luckily for the tourists, there were man-made trails and steps on some of the clusters, Draco and Hermione venturing on one of them to reach the top and enjoy the breathtaking views.

On its very end, Draco rose his arms, shouting "I'm the king."

"Of the ferrets. Stop this display, will you? You're drawing attention." She swatted him on the back.

"I'm a Malfoy, I was born with the ability to show-off. Get used to it, woman."

"I would challenge you to a battle of wits, but I see you are unarmed today."

"I'm unarmed? Really? Wait until we are inside four decent walls with no public and I'll show you exactly how unarmed I am. The insult."

She bared him her teeth laughing, "This is my face of fear."

His hand flexed in a grip, while Draco scrutinised before looking heavenward. Another check on his list of paybacks…

-oOo-

Before heading to the beach, the group was brought to a local food place and it's sheltered terrace. "Phew, some shade. This sun is scorching hot."

"Imagine being a hot-dog without sunscreen protection."

"A what exactly?"

"A sausage in a bun. Gawd, I have so much to teach you…" They enjoyed a seafood ceviche and bean fritters on the side, a welcome freshness instead of more elaborate and spicy dishes offered. The slight breeze helped cool their temperature to a more agreeable level.

"They forgot to say this thing was hot as hell." He kept drinking to flush the heated taste.

Between sips, she shoved a chunk of bread into his mouth, "Bread helps better than water against the feeling, Draco." His face was red flamed. "Don't need to cry, love. Mummy is here."

"Stop it witch, or I'll lay you over my lap and teach you some manners, in public or not."

"You're a funny guy today, for someone who's crying rivers from a hot sauce."

"My tongue is burning, show some compassion." He munched on a new piece of bread.

-oOo-

Using her dollars, a minor detail he hadn't thought of, Hermione got them a couple of loungers and an umbrella. Baking under the sun, in the middle of the day was not her favourite pastime; she always felt like a cooked lobster. Draco and his pale complexion would look way worse, despite the sunscreen.

She took her shirt and shorts off, and felt magically the top of her bikini enlarge, "Malfoy, what did you do?"

"What I promised, I told you those were mine alone to admire. I reduced the ogling to a minimum." Draco hid his wand in the hidden compartment of his denim shorts, which used to be long pants but got they fixed earlier by the brunette. He would melt with those, was her explanation.

Hermione reapplied some sun protector on her face, plus her legs and passed the tube to him.

"What am I supposed to do with this?"

"Face and legs, Draco."

"I prefer your soft hands, mine are so calloused…" He gritted, watching her reduce the top to its original size, "Woman!"

"My body, my decision. You're not my husband to make demands."

"Aren't we exclusive?"

"We are friends with benefits, I'm not shackled to you. Adjust my bikini one more time, and you'll have to return to the boat with a bare bottom."

"A man tries to be a gentleman and protect the virtue of his girl."

"There you go again, _Draco_ , I'm not your girl. I'm a free bird," She rose her shoulders, took her magazine out of her bag and relaxed, rolling her head before laying back.

"If that's the case, free bird, this free wizard is going to have a swim."

"Careful with the sharks, they love to snack on the appendages."

"Shouldn't you protect the goodies, then?" Draco stood before her, adding shadow to her legs.

"I'd find another one easily, I even brought a little buddy with me. Now be a nice bloke and step aside, I want my legs to tan."

Her dismissing hand was the last straw. Draco threw her magazine over his shoulder, took her in a fireman's hold and carried her to the water, under the loud cheering of men around. Without mercy, he threw her in the water and smiled as she stood up, coughing up water.

"This means war, Malfoy."

"This is my face of fear, Granger." He gave her a toothy smile. She threw him a wave of water at his head and ran off into the deep, giggling.

He ran after her, pulling her underwater and felt the retaliation in the shape of grabby hands dragging his trunks off his hips. "Hey, stop undressing me." Their water games resembled those of teenagers trying to outdo the other, often being Draco the one who sent her flying into the water and attacking once more to prevent her retaliation.

She rose her hands in surrender, belly hurting from the laughing and drinking a bit too much salt water. Without notice, they had gone deep into the shore; she barely had a foothold.

Draco swam towards her, held her tight against him. Setting his feet securely on the bottom for leverage, he kissed her unexpectedly. She reacted to the jolts of arousal and jumped up to wrap her legs around his waist, grinding his hardening groin.

"You're playing with fire, don't forget that we have an audience."

The sensations were taking her common sense away; instead, she felt slightly horny, "My biggest problem is our lack of time, not the public. From where we stand, only someone with binoculars would see us." Hermione humped a few times more, threatening Draco to lose his balance.

"Woman, have you never enjoyed the pleasure of a quick shag?"

"With Ron? It was always a quick round between the sheets." She barely spoke the words, before his fingers were pushing the crotch away from her bottom, making room for his freed member. "Oh fuck, Draco."

"Never challenge me, if you can't handle the outcome. Now fuck the shit out of me, while I keep us both from drowning." Hermione didn't need to be told twice, using her thighs to ride his cock while his hands caressed her bum and puckered hole.

"Shit, do that again, Draco." A hand kept a solid grip on her behind, rubbing the little hole, while the other reached out and played with her clit. It set her on fire, but it didn't go fast enough for both. He sought a better footing and used his core strength to pump viciously.

Her abandonment and the knowledge of being out in the open turned his arousal into unknown heights. He increased the pressure on her clit, felt her graze her nipples against his chest and whispered, "Granger, I want to feel your cunt milk my cock. Let your pussy cum on my dick, love."

She moaned, searching for more friction, the thin cord about to snap. He pinched her nub and Hermione fell over the edge, muttering her moans on his wet skin; biting his shoulder.

It was all he could take, grounding her core against his groin and let his peak wash over him. Her body wrapped around his in a vice hold.

Draco smiled against her lips, between the hard intakes of breath. This surpassed his wettest fantasies. A quick glance at the beach assured him they weren't watched, and he returned his face to the creak in her neck.

Hermione let her legs slid down, fixing her bikini bottom with a hooked finger. The reality kicked in, once the heat dissipated, and she flushed hiding her face in turn on his neck.

"Don't go shy on me, we did nothing wrong, only a bit naughty." He smirked but rubbed her back soothingly, "Are you feeling good enough to return to our loungers?" He felt her nod. At a slow pace, they returned to their umbrella, unable to contain their grins.

Draco shifted their seats to lay next to her, both facing each other. At moments, Hermione would break into laughter, reliving their little one-on-one. "I'm sorry Draco, I'm not laughing at us, it's just I can't believe that I did this. I don't have voyeuristic tendencies, and look at me fucking out in the open sea, under the risk of being caught by a swimmer."

"I did nothing against my will. No way I would have allowed a swimmer to watch our moment." His hand caressed her side, non-stop. "We need to go back, the ship will be leaving soon."

"I'll remember Aruba from the weird stones, the natural bridge and our little shag in the water."

"I can think of worse things, actually." He was actively helping her adjust her bikini cover, draping her loose hair over her shoulders. Her blush was still visible, and it amused him.

He was planning on drawing this wicked side of hers more often, it appealed to his Slytherin.

Plus, he intended to repeat their intimate moment. There was a thing about her, he couldn't describe.


	10. Days Thirteen to Fifteen

**Last update of the year (no panic!). A big thank you to my Magzillasaurus for her beta work and also a big thank you to all my peeps, who make me smile and laugh with their amazing reviews. Don't stop, please!**

 **I wish you all a prosper 2019.**

* * *

 **Days Thirteen and Fifteen**

 **Day Fourteen**

"Draco, come on! Let's go outside to the deck!"

"Are we being followed by whales or something?" He was clueless about her eagerness.

"No, we're crossing a special place called the Panama Canal in full transit. I want to see it." His passiveness rubbed against her impatience, and she left him standing to choose a decent spot at the railing. Hermione stretched out her neck to take it all in. Behind her, she noticed him lazily dawdling towards her. It made her shake her head, _ignorant git._

"Tell the ignorant git what's so special about this transit canal?"

"Did I say it aloud?" Hermione covered her face with a palm, before continuing, "This is a canal which is manmade, by the French ages ago. It was modeled after another canal, the Suez, I believe we'll be navigating through that one also."

"I heard you call me ignorant, thank you for the compliment, I love it. I still don't understand why it's so important. My brain cells are working overtime, you know?"

"I'm sorry, you don't deserve it." The quick rub on his arm, apologetically, "This canal is special because it was built by the French and later finished by the Americans, opening an easier passage between the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific. It's quite impressive in its construction. Plus, according to what I've read in the ship's library, it came at a massive cost of human lives. Diseases spread through mosquitoes, unknown until then to be the most dangerous disease carriers; aside from the dangerous wildlife around the area. Snakes, spiders, alligators…"

"You really research everything, don't you?"

"I like to know things, it makes it all so much more special. Otherwise, it's just water between two large continents… I'm sorry, it's who I am." This kind of conversation felt familiar, and it bothered her.

"I know Mia, I just find it impressive how this brain of yours memorises all the random facts. I'm not belittling you, I'm stating a point." He broke her focus by turning her to him and holding her close against his frame, "This is who my girl is, the real version." His hand pushed her chin up, "You can be amazing and frightening to a bloke you know? Luckily I can keep up, and I know I'll never be bored."

Draco really missed a camera, he needed to buy one of those muggle devices when docking at a reliable place. Her face of delight watching the surroundings was an image he wanted to record for later. He noticed already her lack of interest for the jewellery shops, or at any designer gowns displayed. Yet, there was genuine happiness on her face, at watching something so mundane as a canal. A path wide enough to let one ship cross continents to avoid taking a really long detour through South America.

 _Fait divers_ interested her more than the average shopping area. If their little thing grew into something more interesting, he pictured them travelling to amazing places on their planet and discovering with her the hidden jewels. His father had many mistakes, but he remembered hearing his mother tell stories of how she and his father visited the Pyramids in Egypt, or the Saltwater springs in Turkey, among other places.

He and Hermione could do the same, his walking-encyclopedia on two amazing legs…

"Look, Draco!" _I need to frame this, damn it,_ he thought with a smile. He didn't share her enthusiasm at all, _so what_ , it was just a place to shortcut on a really long alternative. But her delight was contagious. He stayed where they were, even if it was boring as hell.

For her.

 **Day Fifteen**

"Girl, what are you thinking?"

"Looking over the entertainment schedule, I'm not sure if I want to join another Spanish lesson, or prefer to shake my hips at a dancing lesson."

"You come to a cruise to sit your arse on a bench and learn?" He sighed, incredulous. "This is a vacation!"

"Am I saying you have to come with me? What did you do before you decided to follow me like a puppy?"

"I'm not a dog!" _You can say many things about a Malfoy, except call him a puppy!_ "Let me sum it up, I tested the limits of my muscles during your special yoga lesson-"

"The Pilates, yes, I remember, and please remind me to avoid that room from now on."

"I searched for free birds…"

"I admire your passion for ornithology."

"My what?"

"Your new found interest for bird watching…" She explained, grabbing her pen to narrow down her choices.

"Ah, yes. Are you sure you don't want to expand your-"

"Don't offer me a ride with two other women, please. You're parroting." He shrugged, looking over to her timetable, "Spanish, clip-dancing or bridge?"

"They are doing bingo tomorrow, I'm attending that one." She smashed her pen's head against the booklet.

"Bingo?"

"Yes, it's a beloved game, you have a card full of numbers, and you cross off the one you hear, if you fill a line, or the corners, or the whole card, you yell Bingo and win a price."

"Sounds like entertainment for elders…"

She swatted hard on his arm, "Hey, I love to play it, no bashing a game I enjoy," diverting her gaze, embarrassed, "Even if the average age attending is fifty plus…" Hermione didn't appreciate his laughter, "Go play some tennis while I'd do my thing. I don't need a shadow twenty-four seven."

"No, you need a wizard to warm your side of the bed." Draco walked away to return with a fresh mojito for her, "What's that Pretty Woman you circled."

"A romantic movie, they are showing this one tonight in the screening room."

"You mean those long stories on a big screen with moving pictures?"

"This one is about a very rich bloke who fell in love with a whore and saved her from doom." She got cheesy every time, "The real fairytale."

"You don't believe in love, but you go all softy on a fairytale?"

"I can dream, can I not? Dreaming doesn't hurt, it's the reality that stings like hell."

"Mia, who did that to you?"

"Did what exactly?"

"Who took your faith away?"

She hid behind her drink to think about her answer, "That would be me."

"Bullshite, tell me the truth."

She put the glass down, sat straighter on her lounger and staring into the distance, "Draco, I'm not lying. I tried to make Ron happy, in the end, he walked away because I stopped investing in our relationship. I dated god knows how many wizards, and time after time, they all became failures, some didn't even last a month."

"That's no reason to lose faith in finding the right bloke, Mia."

"I'm just waiting until you start thinking that I'm not good enough to stay with you. To see you lose the interest in me because I read to much, I don't know how to cook, I want more in bed than the boring you-top-me-bottom. It's like I have too many expectations and unless I'm prepared to lower them, the majority remain unfulfilled."

"I enjoy reading in peace, I don't give a fuck about shopping as a hobby, rather as a coincidence or part of a romantic getaway. For the cooking, I have elves for the job - who love their wage, the clothing they can buy with it, and they have decorated their own quarters at will - before you cut my throat."

"What are your favourite books?"

"Depending on my mood, adventure, mystery and when I'm in an academic spirit, about potions. A passion I shared with my godfather."

"I read about your plans to open an Apothecary, how far along are you with them?"

"It's only the matter of finding a place to start. I encounter some retaliation from landlords, leaving me the only option to buy the real estate. I'm hunting as it were."

"Wizarding London is bigger than Diagon Alley alone, I'm sure you'll find a suitable location easily."

"Do you think it's wise to branch outside the Alley?"

"Why not?" Mentally she took note to help him search for a good place. "Or outside London, in Wiltshire perhaps, isn't there where you live?"

"You're giving me room for thought. My focus is clearly too narrow."

Another argument in the positive column. Her honest input compared to waving off his reservations. He had held this same conversation with Astoria, and the witch dismissed him as unimportant. The centrepieces for the wedding had a bigger priority. Hermione Granger, with her valid reason to resent him - his past, how he treated her, and so on - put it all aside and helped him think about practical solutions.

The more time he spent with her, the more he understood why scarhead and weaselbee kept her as a company. In turn, it made him regret all his behaviour towards her, in their early years. He had been an imbecile…

"What are you planning to offer in the Apothecary?"

"Can you keep a secret?"

"Depends on its content…" She grinned, setting away her list to turn her body fully towards him, legs crossed in a Buddha position, "Tell me, Malfoy, all about your wicked plans."

He needed a moment, she took his breath away when she shoved her hair over her shoulder, not even noticing the effect it had on him. "I… hmm… I want to brew my own concoctions, offer the vials to those who can afford them at full price, but those in need, only at a bargain. I'm not doing it for the money."

"That's what I thought. You'll probably offer them at cost, to have a break even."

"Or even cheaper, to the really lower class of our society..."

She entwined their fingers, squeezing them gently, "It's a noble gesture, I'm sure your godfather will love that you're doing something good with your talent."

"Snape died, remember?" Draco saw her features change, "He was my godfather. Not the most lovable one, nor a man that would spoil me or do fun stuff like attending a Quidditch game together. But he was a fair person."

"I'm so sorry for your loss, Draco." She hugged him tightly in a moment's spur. "Harry showed me his last memory, we never had the chance to appreciate the man he was. I regret some of my behaviours, now that I understand the sacrifices he had to make."

"What are you talking about?" Hermione clearly knew more about Severus, than he.

"He was in love with Lily, Harry's mother. He died telling Harry he had her eyes, one of the reasons why he disliked Harry so much. He was the living remembrance of the woman Snape lost. If that wasn't enough, Harry is also the son of the man who bullied him like you bullied Harry and me. James Potter was the Draco Malfoy of his time." That last came with snickering.

Pieces of a puzzle fell in place, "Hmm, I understand Severus a bit better then."

"Spanish or dancing?"

"Woman, my brain wants a vacation."

"Clip dancing it is."

-oOo-

Draco Malfoy and Britney Spears.

Not a match made in heaven.

He had a sense of rhythm, was a quick learner and a good dancer. But when he got the hang of the dance moves and had to do to the beat of 'Me against the music' he called it quits, moved to a corner and enjoyed seeing Hermione follow the steps correctly. Hair waving all over, hips in perfect synch with the shown steps. She sweated profusely, forgetting his presence entirely for the full four minutes, but he didn't mind. She beamed, even if there was a focused crease on her forehead, repeating for the third time the new sequence and cursing the same point as previously.

The know-it-all wasn't perfection at every task. It was even nice to see her struggle with something, it made her more human and less a Mary Sue. At the end, when the entire group did the whole dance one last round, he wished he could record it. One of the many memories he wanted to freeze in time, deep in his core a tingling worry about how things were evolving.

He checked the timetable on the wall, looking for a more suitable type of dance. This modern shite wasn't of his taste, but he wanted to share her evident passion for dancing. A tango or something more romantic…

-oOo-

Hermione pulled him forward until she was happy with the booth of her choice to watch whatever it was on the screen Draco had forgotten all about. A few boxes ahead, he saw a couple snuggle into each other, memories invading his mind like a flashback to the times Pansy would claim her place next to him in the Slytherin common room.

He wanted this kind of intimacy with the witch next to him, slamming his arm around her shoulders and pulling her close to him, her legs resting on his lap, just like the pair further down the row. Hermione sat the bucket of sugared popcorn on her lap, for easier access and snuggled into his shoulders, perfectly as he hoped.

The movie didn't really catch his attention, the witch in his arms did all the more. Aside from the part with the sports car, which appealed to a flyer like him, that is. The part where the bint taught the man how to drive, made him picture another brunette in her place, berating him for using the wrong moves at the wheel…

"Can you drive one of these?"

"Shhhttt." Her finger at her lips, warning him to shut up. He felt her nod, however.

"She's quite a wom-" Her hand covered his mouth, but he licked her palm, and she redrew it with a hiss.

"Will you stop?" She seethed in his ear, "This is one of my favourite movies, Draco. Please…"

"You've got to give me something in return, I'm bored."

"A blow job afterwards. Or sleeping alone if you keep ruining this for me. Your choice."

That was a hell of a way to shut him up, the prospect very interesting surely.

The movie bored him to pieces. Except when there was the illusion of sex, in particular of a demonstration of his prize for being supportive. This was quite memorable, considering the few magazines he stole from his father for a few wank sessions when he was horny. Muggles made movies where the illusion was much more intense than the few loops on the wizard version of porn pictures. _Would he ask her if there was spicier than this?_

Her sigh of contempt at a stupid moment when the bloke climbed the stairs to reach his woman, made him bite a snide remark about the idiotic move of the man. _If you have a fear of heights, that was a foolish thing to do…_

The distracted rub on his chest broke his thoughts. Hermione had a cheesy smile on her face until the very end, and he wondered if a simple thing such as a bouquet of flowers would do the trick. Have her look at him with the same adoration. She had a romantic streak after all…

A long list of words appeared on the screen and the lights became brighter. Immediately he felt the cold on the place where her body had snuggled into him, Hermione had risen to her feet and was stretching her back. The cheesy smile still glued to her face. "I love to watch this movie over and over again, it never bores me."

He nodded quickly in agreement, to not jeopardise his chances.

"The day after tomorrow they are showing Titanic. Susan's beloved movie."

"Oh, interesting. Are we catching that one too?" _Is his face looking eager enough?_ "What's the story?"

"The sinking of a ship like this one." His panicked face made her laugh. "It's a true story about how male arrogance killed thousands. Don't worry Draco, they learned their lesson afterwards. The odds of you drowning are lower than you falling off your broom during Quidditch."

"I'm supposed to feel safe all a sudden?"

"What a marshmallow of a hero, you are…" She hooked her arm with his, following the masses into the exit, "There's romance as well…"

"Another smart bloke climbing stairs while glueing to the wall?"

"No bashing on Richard Gere, buddy! That's a very romantic moment, one of my favourites."

"You want your wizard to ride a unicorn, and climb the wall to your window? Or is it okay for him to approach it by broomstick?"

"Shut up, you are the romantic equivalent of a goblin."

"Hey, don't offend me. I can be a romantic wizard, let me tell you. Just don't expect me to paint the Firebolt white to abide your wishes."

They arrived at their C deck, stopping between the two doors.

"Good night, Draco." A quick peck on his cheek, before she opened her door.

"You promised me…"

"I didn't say tonight, did I?" His face of deception made her grin, _serves him right. All the comments on Pretty Woman…_ She knew he was bored by the movie, the shaking of his legs and the many sighs at a few ridiculous moments impossible to ignore. But she loved to play him, he gave his feelings away, often unaware.

"Sleep tight, witch. Have wet dreams of me." Draco walked slouched to his door, _all the efforts for nought._

"Psst…" He looked up surprised. She jerked her head, licking her lips invitingly. Asking him once more was unnecessary…

Draco wanted to take control, but she wasn't having it. Pushing him, until his knees met the edge of her bed, he fell back with a bounce. His efforts to sit, in vain, as she gave him a new nudge and he surrendered.

Hermione kneeled, took off shoes and socks. Standing straighter for a better reach of his fly, she pulled his slacks and underwear in one move. Draco took care of his upper clothes, lying naked on the bed in no time. His cock straining to receive attention, visibly hardening under her gaze.

He growled loudly when she took one of his balls and then the other into her mouth, licking the full length as a lollipop. Hermione smiled, kissing his belly as a break, before returning to his erection.

"Holy Salazar..." He cursed and breathed deep. Hermione sucked the hell out of his dick, deep throating him a few times, unexpectedly. He felt his balls tighten warning, stars blinding his sight. "Woman, if you don't stop, I'm cumming in your mouth."

"Hmm…" Her voice sending arrows of arousal straight to his groin, and he felt the edge approach.

"Mia…" She shoved his hands away, intent on making him come from her ministrations; his self-control reduced to nothing. He lost count of how many more times she sucked him. It didn't matter in the end. The explosion robbed him of his senses, hand clutching her hair nearly too hard - a hiss made him release some of the pressure. Hermione kept bobbing up and down, swallowing his load and cleaning every escaping drop.

He rose his head and let it fall in abandonment. Switching between watching her and caving into the sensations, hands relentlessly caressing her face. Satisfied glare met a grateful blurry stare.

One last lick before she crawled back up, and curled against him.

"You're wearing too many clothes."

"Hmm," She ditched her garments down to her underwear.

"Those too…"

"Not today."

"Give me a second to recover, and I'm returning the favour." He caressed her with languid moves. His energy escaped with his spunk by the feel.

"Not today, my components are out-of-order." He frowned in confusion, "No circus tonight, the monkey has a nosebleed… the redcoats are coming. Damn it ferret, I have my monthly!"

"Why don't you say so?" _Fuck, four days of no sex…_ "We can cuddle, do you have cramps?"

"Not yet, probably tomorrow…"

"Hug time it is then…" He kissed her deeply, snuggled under her covers, curling around her for a change. "You can count on me."


	11. Day Sixteen

**Happy New 2019!**

 **The opportunity to thank my sweetie Magzillasaurus for her betawork and support, and my amazing reviewers for the smiles they give me through the year. Thank you also to the silent readers, though I also would love to hear from you.**

* * *

 **Day Sixteen**

Hermione stretched out lazily, a moan escaping from deep. Her dream Draco was feasting on her perky nipples, tongue slithering around the rosy areola before licking and closing the lips around the tip. Watching his cheeks hollow under the pressure of the sucking, fed her arousal deeper. A pale hand kneaded the neglected breast and played with the bud at will, pinching, tweaking.

"Draco…"

The other hand was apparently giving her nether bud special attention. Flicking the finger over the top, pressing on a spot right above, drawing circles over the hardening spot. It was sizzling, it was drowning her. She could barely breathe.

"Yes, love?"

Her dream Draco sounded too real to be a fantasy. Slowly she opened one eye, then the second and stared straight into liquid grey. He was staring at her with a feral glare, not stopping a second from his ministrations. Nor at her breast or on her clit.

"Draco, no stop! I have my monthly, it's dirty down there."

"Relax, Hermione. Relax and let me take care of you..." Purring, he didn't give her the time to think it through, "Your clit… I want to set it on fire…" He rubbed it firmer, "Close your eyes and feel, love…"

Releasing the nipple with a pop, he moved slightly up to possess her mouth in a searing kiss, consuming the moans she couldn't withhold, "That's it, princess. Give me everything." She rubbed her thighs together out of instinct, locking his hand between them. The waves of pleasure subduing the awkwardness of being touched down there at this point of her cycle.

"Draco…"

He felt her torment, "Shhttt, princess. I don't care about a little blood, nothing our wands can't clean, love." She jerked, breath in hitches. He was robbing her of her senses, lips nearly touching each other, breathing in each other's air. Her fingers raked through his hair, clenching around the strands, as the fire pooled around her abdomen, roaring to explode in a fury of heat.

His name her mantra, "Draco… I can't…Draco please…"

"What do you need, love?"

"You, I want more of you, your fingers aren't enough… shit oh gawd, holy Jesus, it's so dirty down there…"

He ate her following mewls, while both hands did quick work of her knickers and his own trunks. Entering her quim felt like coming home, his guttural grunt consumed by her lips. This witch, who conceded to the pleasure he gave her, made him forget the reason why he denied others similar moments. He wanted to bring her over the edge because it mattered. Somehow it mattered, and he gave zero fucks about searching for the reason. Her pleasure by his hands and cock were paramount.

A feminine leg was pushed into the air, while the thumb kept rubbing her clit, increasing the pressure completely attuned to her shudders. He rutted into her, the instinct taking over the conscious. Draco was a possessed man suckling her mounds or biting her lip before shoving his tongue in her mouth and tasting every corner.

His initial plan was to repay her late-night gift with an early morning orgasm, but that plan shattered to pieces. She was so close that he could feel her climb to the peak by the way she clenched around him. Her mewling about her God and the Jesus bloke, followed by multiple curses - all whispered in his ear - fired in him the will to make her drown.

Draco changed into a brutal pace, and she welcomed it until no more was possible. She cried, tensing around his body, while he kept pumping into her channel, searching for his point of no return. Hermione grasped him tightly, bit in his shoulder and felt him fall, hips jerking at every pulse. Burying himself in her. Consuming once more her mouth, as a taken man.

Calming down took time. His weight pressed her body into the mattress, keeping them linked until he softened inside of her and slipped. Even then, she forced him to stay on top of her, hands rubbing his neck and shoulders.

Minds cleared from the fog and her embarrassment kicked in with a vengeance, "Draco, oh shit this feels so dirty."

Tired of hearing her complaints, he picked her up, dragged her under the shower and cleaned her thoroughly with the showerhead, "Now it's all cleaned again." He sprayed himself, flushing the red spots away from his skin and the tuft of blond hair at his groin. "This is nature's doing its job, not some ugly disease, woman."

"I don't feel comfortable, and Ron hated it."

"I don't give a shit about it. Don't deny yourself pleasure because of something so natural as your monthly. Plus I forbid you to ever compare me to the Weasel, either. It takes a man to deal with this, not an overgrown rat."

She took her loofah lathered it and rubbed it over his chest, grabbing an arm at the time to give also the limb her attention, "I understand the specifics of my cycle, I only don't feel comfortable sharing it with a man."

"Noted." He turned his back to her, making it easier to give him a decent scrub.

"Did you service Pansy or Daphne likewise?"

"No."

"Care to explain why you have with me but not with them?" Hermione squatted, to wash his muscled legs, foot included. The devil had quite a good looking body, from where she was standing. He wasn't entirely immune to her glances if she was to go by how certain parts were reacting.

Draco took over the sponge, to return the favour with more gentleness than her ministrations, not that he complained. A good rub did miracles. "Hmm. I can't."

"Can't or won't?"

"Let's keep it at this: the level of intimacy between me and them, or me and you is a world of difference. I see no purpose in searching for the reason at this point." He learned her weak points as well as she had with his. At the moment, the feeling of hunger was overriding his growing arousal. "Tell me again, what are the plans for today?"

"I don't know yours, I'm attending bingo today. Aside from that, nothing else." The last rinse of her hair and she stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around her head and body. To her surprise, no red spots were to be found on the white sheets. Draco had vanished all the evidence of their coupling just seconds before.

"You spoke of tennis." There was something about watching her comb her hair, the curls appearing as it dried in the air. "Don't you want to share that new experience?"

"I suck at it."

"Makes it more interesting, something the great Hermione Granger can't do properly." He rubbed his scruff, "I'm popping next door for a shave and a fresh change…"

"Skip the shave, I like the scruff." She scratched the chin slightly, "Gives you a more masculine look."

He puffed his chest, "I'll do as the lady says." A quick peck on the lips, "Only need five before we head to breakfast, will you be ready by then?"

Hermione was already braiding her hair, "I'm quite hungry… all these early morning workouts are quite exhausting."

-oOo-

Hermione took a painkiller outside his knowledge, hugs don't help against cramps no matter his claims. It charmed her though, how he spent the whole day being more touchy than before, an arm rub here, an unexpected embrace there. Not one soul would believe her if she told them that Draco Malfoy could be considerate.

Her bingo afternoon went in a very unexpected way, down the gutter.

Draco felt bored to pieces, amongst all the grey-haired people attendance. She tried to single out his annoyment to enjoy her activity, but the number of sighs, mindless drawing on the paper and mocking of a few overdramatic women upon their bingo moment became too much to bear. The first drama queen scared the poor blond almost out of his seat; if Hermione was honest enough, that level of hysteria was over the edge to her as well.

From then on, there was no stopping at the wizard who decided to mock everyone discreetly, to amuse himself: cheering the winners, throwing his arms in the air, punching a fist, applauding at the prize. It basically killed her buzz.

After the sixth, she stood up, kicked him in the foot and demanded that he follow her out of the room, "I'm not doing bingo with you again."

"This is fucking boring, Granger." He showed her both palms, "Crossing off numbers on a big square, and yelling until others ears are numb because you won a tube of shampoo…"

She roared in laughter, "It wasn't even such a special brand, if it had been from Crabtree & Evelyn I would have understood…" Hermione elaborated after a confused frown, "One of my favourite London's brands, their scents are so good…"

"Whatever…" The brunette grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the bow of the ship, steering between the people. Leaning over the railing she watched the trail of water left behind, "Isn't it amazing? How a mastodon of a boat like this can carry over three thousand people, without the help of magic and yet not sink?"

"Didn't you tell me about that sinking vessel?"

"The Titanic you mean? The movie is so romantic, Draco. Quite a pumped up story, yes, but the core was true to the historical event. The crew saw the iceberg too late to avoid the collision, and it sank a few hours later. The main problem was there weren't enough lifeboats for everyone, and on the top, they were only filled by half of their capacity." Her eyes went to the yellow lifeboats nicely hidden from the public eye, but still easily accessed in case of need, "Imagine a lifeboat filled for half of it with Purebloods only, and no half-bloods or muggle-borns because they are from a lower class. Oh, I almost forgot, only women and children first!"

"Wait, you mean only Malfoy's, Parkinson's and the Nott's from our wizarding society…"

"But only your mother, Pansy and her mother…"

"Why?"

"At the time they considered the Titanic as unsinkable… male arrogance and misjudgement. A serious miscalculation which cost more than a thousand lives. Plus we are speaking early 1900's where the difference between social classes was bigger than now."

"My father and I…"

"You wouldn't have died, you cunning snakes would have found a way to preserve the mighty family blood." She said it laughing, yet Draco saw the truth in her words. "I wouldn't have had a chance, and Ron probably either as he would not be able to afford such an expensive ticket at the time. I'm speaking pre-war financial situation, much has changed since the War."

It gave him room for thought, the accuracy was undeniable, "Can it still happen? A Titanic kind of accident?"

"They have made serious alterations to the maritime laws, I believe, following the accident. They are now obliged to have rescue possibilities for each passenger and crew member, plus such ships are full of technology onboard to spot icebergs miles ahead, and other things…" She shrugged, "I don't worry, the chances of sinking on a ship are similar to that of crashing in an aeroplane. Or you falling off your broomstick."

"I don't fall off my broom, witch." The pride of a flyer rose to the surface.

"Oh, I forgot I'm standing next to Superman." She patted his chest, "Let's find something to do, your ego is inflating."

* **Hermione** *

It took her much energy to kick him out of her room at night; having Draco following her all day or making her follow him was overwhelming. It needed some convincing, but in the end, he abided by her wishes and went to sleep in his room next door.

During the afternoon they settled for a new adventure on their upcoming port stop, Huatulco, Mexico. He kept working on her mood to go for something energising, he wanted some adrenaline, not boring experiences such as shopping or bird watching. _That's for the bingo-folks…_ Her angry face told him exactly what she thought of his statement, and he withdrew for a few seconds, only a few.

Hermione gave up. He insisted that she would accompany him, _to avoid early ageing_ , on a mountain bike venture of two hours followed by relaxing at a beach club and using a beach club hotel pool for a nice swim.

She planned on skipping the swim altogether and discovering the town centre for a stroll and souvenir shopping. He might dislike it, but now and then, she liked to relax this way too.

Tackling the issue when it came was better than undergoing a Malfoy fit against her decision and Hermione kept her choice a secret. _He will find out tomorrow anyway._

It was time for a new painkiller, the cramps were getting uncomfortable. To the point that she almost knocked on Draco's door for a cuddle. _The git knows how to make it bearable._

-oOo-

* **Draco** *

It didn't suit him well to be shoved away from her room.

He felt so frustrated that he went to search for some entertainment in one of the many bars, slamming his first scotch faster than planned.

"Hello, darling, in need of some company?" A busty blond took the empty seat, not bothering with waiting for his consent. "I would like a Bloody Mary, please."

He smelled the vulture tricks miles away on this bint and ignored her obvious plea for a free drink. He had decided to stay exclusive, and he was going to remain truthful even if said witch shoved him out of her room. It didn't suit him at all.

"What's your name, stud?"

"Malone." He checked her out, the aged look of her skin showed the signs of too much sun and the abuse of make-up. _Take the greasepaint away, and a bloke's willy will flatten at first sight._

"Where's your girlfriend?"

"In the room, she wasn't feeling well." Hermione was dearly missed, the claws of the vulture's nails dug holes in his thighs, dangerously close to his family jewels. He shifted in his seat in search of relief and freedom.

"How dare she leave a man like you unattended… If you were my man, I wouldn't let you out of my sight."

"Lady, I'll be as polite as possible, I'm not interested." He gave her a stare which would make his father proud.

"Honey, you don't know what you're missing…" The hand rose instead, frustrating him even more.

"Will you be so kind to keep your paws off of my boyfriend?" The dry statement came from behind them, Draco's eyes widened of relief. The offending hand was swatted with a pissed off gesture. "Shoo!"

Both women engaged in a battle of stares, won by Hermione because Draco pulled her to him, rubbing her arse obviously. The blonde dropped off with a visible loathing.

"You're my hero, love. The vulture didn't understand the no I was sending." Her irritation wasn't towards him - thank Merlin for that - but he could see underneath the anger, also her unease. "Do you need me?"

"I come to ask you for one of those low back rubs you gave me this afternoon, the painkiller is only helping by half."

"Do you know what helps better?"

"Yes, I do. But please, no sex again. I'm tired, tomorrow is a very intense day again, and I want to sleep more than anything."

"If I'm allowed to share your bed…" The nagging in her belly was more annoying than his request. She shrugged in agreement.

He followed her into her room because she made a valid point about possible hygienic needs. Straddling her, he used a warming charm for his hands and used his magical fingers, kneading on certain spots on her spine he knew to relax the pain. He had stumbled by accident on this practice when Pansy once begged him to rub a sore spot. He perfected it to the point that his best friend implored him every month during their school years, as it helped better than any potion available. Her own words.

As it turned out, Pansy was right, if he read Hermione's moans of relief correctly. The brunette becoming putty under his hands. Her breath evened. "Hermione?" His answer was lightly snoring.

He moved away, tucking her under the sheet, before making himself comfortable at her side. In her sleep, she scooted towards him, settling into using him as a pillow with a sigh of content. Draco didn't mind. He was getting used to this.

* * *

Note to my reader Dindore: I think your aversion about Pretty Woman might have clouded your overall judgement of the last chapter. I'm a woman with agency but I can enjoy a cheesy movie so now and then, it's from this point of view that I think Hermione would love it either. But I see it also from your point of view. Thank you anyway for the support!


	12. Day Seventeen

**As always grateful for the help from my Magzillasaurus to correct my errors.**

* * *

 **Day Seventeen**

Hermione made a point in not leaving her room until he rubbed sunscreen on his body and face. Again another day without shaving because his companion told him not to. Who was he to deny the woman her pleasure?

A look in the mirror told him, she might be right. He liked the image that stared back at him.

At breakfast, she put her foot down. "No beans!"

"You can have a say in what I do with my hair growth, not with my food choices."

"We're doing heavy physical activity within a few hours. Be my guest, fill your stomach full of tomato beans and tell me later how it feels…"

Draco made a point by serving himself an extra spoonful.

"Don't come crying…"

-oOo-

A mountain bike looked a menacing vehicle. The rush of adrenaline he felt when he spotted the quad, remained missing this time.

Quads did not require knee protectors, nor for the elbows.

Hermione saw his doubts kick in, surprisingly enough, "It will feel like your nimbus, but you'll need to peddle to move forward. These are only for just in case. Falling off of a bicycle will hurt like hell on the asphalt." His stress remained visible. "Where's your sense of adventure?"

"Left it on the ship." He mounted his as instructed, followed the few rounds as their guide suggested. His self-confidence grew as he got the feeling of the steering. Hermione gave him a few pointers and helped him up after a few minor falls. "I'm good, I've got it."

Everyone got ready to go, and their guide led them through trails of rough patches and straight roads, the newer scenery more impressive than the previous one.

They rode through the marina, high up the mountains, using a beat-up route to go back downhill. Draco cheered loudly, again choosing the tougher spots for a greater thrill. Hermione shook her head, making the exact opposite choices. She was no stranger to riding a bicycle, far from it, but searching for the rougher ride was not her cup of tea.

It was frightening how similar Draco behaved to Harry, the same open eyes, the same wide smile and shouting. His scream was heard from afar when his mountain bike hit a stone and sent him flying. It was thanks to his strength that he kept his arse on the saddle.

Her heart missed a few beats, but his was pounding of exhilaration. Hermione expected to see him freak out, but no sir. She saw him calculating where another bike-flight would be possible, a true _let me do it again!_ face.

Too soon they arrived at their endpoint, well, depending on whom you asked.

Draco couldn't stop smiling until they reached the beach club part of their excursion. He kept the door open for her, "I can't choose between the quad or that mountain bike."

Hermione didn't enter, "The quad, I felt more secure there."

"Hermione, let's relax inside, witch."

"You go, I prefer a little stroll through the village."

"But… that was not the plan." He whined, knowing how much he hated shopping.

"I'm not asking you to come. Tan those abs a little, I'll see you on the boat."

"You don't want me there with you?" _Why did the possible answer sting?_

"I can use the moment of solitude, Draco. You hate shopping. I want to walk amongst the stands, see what the locals make of crafts. Eat something at a tapas bar." She kissed him quickly, "I'll be fine, we'll see each other later. We're eating at the Singhu remember?"

"This isn't the initial plan…" He couldn't shake away the feeling it had been her intention after all. "Will you be safe?"

"You're kidding me?" Her smile was of unbelief.

"What if there's a bint with fake tits who tries to rape me?"

"I'm fully confident you can get rid of such a woman. You're a Slytherin, not a Hufflepuff. Or, am I mistaken?"

"You'll need to make up for the damage suffered." He was pouting like a toddler. One who got his whim rejected.

-oOo-

Hermione was immediately submerged into the Mexican life, the streets filled with little shops, street vendors and a charming parish church called _La Parroquia de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe._ It was so lovely that she entered to admire the interior and its statues, lightening a candle at the Virgin Mary image - a childhood habit at the hand of her mother.

From there, she strolled through, entering through a cotton fabric where they made the material for the displayed sundresses and shirts. Hermione admired the ancient technique on a large loom with pedals, more handicraft than this was impossible to find. Her eye fell on a yellow sundress with some Incan embroideries, the feel a mixture of cotton and linen.

Carrying the dress over her arm, she moved on to the men's section, finding a white shirt easily. Deciding on the size was not easy, as the model was fitted in the back. An older lady came to her and employing the use of gestures, English and Spanish, the woman called after her son who had a similar build to Draco, helping Hermione choose the size after much back and forth.

It was not the Egyptian cotton he was used to, but it was a more breathable fabric for these warm weather locales, he'll see the light.

Her next acquisition was a wooden dragon, a piece of folk art known as the Alebrijes, carved out from the wood of the copal tree. Her eye fell instantly on the colourful sculpture, and she thought of Draco, instinctively.

Her intent had been a moment of peace to breathe, Draco-free for a while. She had already conceded to the fact that he had become a welcome companion during her journey. Draco pushed her buttons as much as he used to, yet lacking the intent to hurt, rather to poke the bear and draw out a reaction from her.

The initial irritation melted into a welcome diversion, she could talk to him without having to watch her words. They read together in peace; she had slept with him in a long lost harmony, his arms cradling her body, and she refused to let her mind wander to the heated moments between them. He deserved his title, unquestionably. The title of a man who knew how to play a woman's body and give her pleasure, instead of only having his on his mind.

Now, instead of enjoying her solitude, she found herself searching for things he might like, or made her think of him. The shirt was the first, the sculptured dragon followed, and then a bracelet, plus a painted little bottle of tequila. For herself, she restricted to a straw sunhat and a similar braided bracelet. Her last acquisitions were a black pottery mask for Harry and a funny hand-painted Day of the Dead figurine, so colourful it immediately caught her eye for Ginny and Susan. For Ron, she settled for a pack of hot chocolate. Clearly, Mexicans enjoyed the salted snacks more than the sweet.

In a dark corner, she shrunk it all into her bag, aside from Draco's gifts. Hermione wanted to see his curiosity appear.

Using the guide in her hand, she sought the Holy Cross of Huatulco. Worshipped by the local population, the wooden cross had been placed by a bearded white man, according to the legend. The name Huatulco meant in the native Nahuatl language, "place where the wood is revered". The myth alone was enough to draw Hermione's attention, and she used this as the last stop before returning to the ship.

-oOo-

* **Draco** *

Impatiently pacing back and forth, he waited for her at the rail.

Draco had shortened his stay at the pool, laying at the lounger without his companion turned out to be dull. He had no book with him to read, expecting to have her at his side to amuse him, and the never-ending offering of female attention irritated him to no end - the complete opposite from a week ago, which would have pleased him and prompted him to search for a bird to fuck. He lost his interest in meaningless sex, without notice.

 _Why search for bints, when you had a fantastic woman in your bed?_

In the distance, Draco saw her approach at a languid pace, soft smile on her face. She was not hurried at all, and his patience snapped, walking against the stream to meet her halfway. Her features hidden by a huge sun hat, but he recognised her instantly when Hermione looked up at the ship.

"What took you so long?" It came out snappier than meant, her face clouding after his question.

Hermione gave him a glowering stare, "I wasn't aware I was under time restrictions."

"Do you know how annoying it is to fend off unrequested female attention?"

"Please, send a complaint to no reply at I don't give a shit dot com." She set a harder pace, her good humour entirely ruined by his accusations. He attempted to hold her back, grabbing her arm but she cut herself loose and mingled deeper between the crowd of boarding passengers.

"Fuck." He had missed her, much to his surprise, and instead of showing her his best side, Draco ended ruining the moment. "Hermione, please wait!"

It was as if the wizards were working against him, instead of moving closer, the distance became bigger; Hermione disappearing out of his sight between the mass of people. At least, he knew where she slept…

*oOo*

* **Hermione** *

"Annoying git. Why do I even care to bring him gifts? I'm not his babysitter, he fucking well knows how to beat off undesired attention." The bag with his presents flew into a corner, the thud reminding her of the fragile content. By the sound, it hadn't broken.

"You are such a moron, you gave him a hand, and he took your whole arm. He thinks he owns you." Hermione bounced back on the bed after she sat with a plop. Taking her wand out, she warded her room against ferrets. Their little arrangement was off the table. "This cruise was supposed to be by myself, it will go on on my own."

"Hermione, open the door!"

"Go fuck yourself, I'm done with you!" She added a _Silencio_ , to tune out his voice. The bonking on her door was visible by the trillings, not that it made her change her mind. Hermione cooked in rage.

The shaking of her door stopped, apparently, after a while.

Using the moment of temporary peace, she called the Ocean Grill to arrange a table for one, tonight, asking them to warn the Sindhu about the adjustment in the existing reservation. _Or she might end up killing a certain rodent._

Hoping that the little cubicle on the inside pool's dressing room was free, she apparated there. Staying in her room, felt like being caged like an animal. Conjuring a bikini out of her underwear, she joined a steam room. To sweat her rage away.

* **Draco** *

Women were all alike. A bloke made a stupid move and bam! Drama queens rise to the surface. In the Gryffindor's case, it came with ignoring him entirely, erecting wards to prevent him from apparating straight into her room - he had to give it to her, she outsmarted him - and on top of it all, a Muggle waiter asked him politely to stop with his disturbance.

He didn't hex the man because, well Draco didn't even know what stopped him. The hand had been on the wand, the intention on the tip of his tongue. Yet, he nodded with pursed lips and went into his suite. He set a warning up to get a notification of when the witch left her room, _she was smart, but so was he_.

His notification didn't come.

His knock on her door went unanswered. His hope to dine with her as planned, died within the minute, expecting a change on her part. The thought confirmed a few moments later when his table was announced as a party of one.

"Where has my table guest went to?"

An unaware young thing, apparently a starter at work answered him, "We don't know, Mr. Malone. Ocean Grill has notified us of a change in attendance."

"Where's the Ocean Grill again?"

"In deck F, sir." Draco turned around, the poor woman in a panic, "Sir! Mr. Malone! What about your table?"

"Give it to someone else."

In no time he descended to the lower deck, the waiter who tried to stop him from entering got dismissed with a "My girlfriend is already inside." It took him a few seconds to spot her in a quiet zone, as it was her habit. She hated the spotlights, he learned already.

There was anger and a downcast air on her features, which made him feel extra enraged with himself. He had lashed out, wrongfully, _you wanker._ Now he needed to bring out his best behaviour to set it right. If today had taught him something, it was that he appreciated her company more than he presumed.

Draco sat down and laid the single white rose he picked underway on her empty plate. "I'm sorry."

Hermione looked the other way, after glancing down on the flower. Her eyes closed for a second, chin resting lightly on her closed hand.

"I shouldn't have said what I did, I was wrong." He caught her hand, to force her to look at him, kneading in the fingers gently, "I got bored alone and annoyed with the old rags who refuse the obvious signs. I lashed out of frustration and I shouldn't have."

The waiter brought him the menu, filling his glass with water. It was silent in between.

"Hermione…"

She shook her head lightly, eyes closed, "Don't."

"You're not sending me away, I won't go."

"I'm not yours. I'm not one of your possessions, nor one of your house-elves to command. I have a will of my own, I stand and go wherever I want to, and you don't tell me what to do or at what time I should return." The calmness with which she spoke, was just a false cover for the rage she still felt. This was not the place to let it burn as she wanted, the anger only increased with his guts to follow her here - she didn't even bother to wonder how he knew.

"In my defence, I became used to having you around. You left me unexpectedly, I didn't like it at all." His fingers laced between hers, the hand not yet retreated. "If you want the next time to wander by yourself, warn me. At least I can take a book to kill time or plan something else. Your dismissal took me really by surprise." _Has his father ever crawled this deep for his mother?_ His honesty was paying off, as she began to figure out what her decision had of consequences for him.

It softened her face, "I haven't considered it from your point of view."

"It doesn't justify my actions, but it does explain them." He was getting somewhere, especially when she let go of his hand to touch the petals.

"Thank you for the flower."

The waiter took his order, pouring moments later his choice of drink. There was fragility at the table, one yet trying to amend, the other to soothe the mind reflecting on what he had shared.

"Did you have fun?"

"I did." An appetiser was brought, buying her some time to find her voice, "It was a nice little village."

"What did you see?" The salmon mousse was eaten in one bite, drowned away with a swig to calm the hunger he felt. The delicious aromas from around him made his stomach growl - he barely ate at lunch - but his focus was not on the food.

"I lit a candle at a church, visited a wooden cross revered by the locals. Did some shopping." Draco kept staring at her, hoping for a few more details of her time away from him. It unsettled her because what she read in his eyes was something she wasn't prepared to search for the meaning of. "I bought some gifts for Harry and Ron and the girls."

"You and Weasley still get along?" He was making an effort, biting off his wish to use the usual rat-mention for the Weasel. Antagonising her once again, after the delicate breakthrough was far from wise.

It wasn't her favourite subject, using the diversion of the waiter taking away the dirty dish to compose herself, "We have taken some time to readjust to a new reality, but now we are both in a good place, and our friendship has survived."

"Can you tell me what happened?"

"Will you tell me what happened with Astoria?"

"That's a straightforward story. I proposed to her because I thought she might like me despite my destroyed reputation, earlier attempts to find a suitable wife turned out in vain. It's appalling how witches have no shame to admit they are dating me for my vaults." The wine was a welcome distraction, "Astoria was different. She fooled me, I have to admit. My mother pushed me to settle down, I didn't refuse because I believed my future to be ruined anyway."

Their starter arrived, for him a crab cocktail and her choice the grilled king scallop. Spreading a little of his crab on the corner of his spelt toast, he offered her a taste. To his relief, she accepted and offered his in return a bite of her own plate. This was by now also a habit of theirs, taste each other's choices, savouring the new flavours and discussing them.

To his surprise, she offered a change of plates, his cocktail was more of her taste and vice versa. His mouth curled half, things were slowly falling into their normalcy again.

"You haven't finished telling me your story, Draco."

"I know. Where was I? Oh, yes. Astoria fooled me in the beginning. I honestly hoped, in time, to fall in love with her and be able to make her a happy wife, as a reward for the feelings she showed me. But my mother wanted us to wait with matrimony until my father was released from Azkaban, you know, last month. Three years engagement is a long time for someone keeping up a mask." He ate the last of his grilled scallop, cleaning his mouth on the napkin with all the decorum that came with it. "The mask cracked slowly but unmistakably. Making me regret hard the decision of marrying her, but I couldn't go back. Not without destroying the frail reputation we were regaining in society. My mother was once again being invited to teas and other social gatherings. If I had broken off the engagement, it would send her back to square one."

He took a breath, the feeling of freedom returning to his mind, as he remembered Astoria's last theatrical act. "She broke the betrothal because the Price of whatever Arabian state proposed to her. Greengrass even had the stomach to tell me she fucked him while engaged to me. Telling me, he had a bigger…" It was clear, what he omitted.

Hermione bit her lip, a quippy answer at the tip of her tongue.

"This was supposed to be our honeymoon cruise. A pre-wedding to be exact, due to its timing. She wanted to see the world most luxuriously. The matrimony itself was scheduled to be after we arrived back in Southampton." He chuckled at his reality, "I don't mind a bit, it felt being shackled to a life sentence. Not the way a groom should feel at all, I guess."

"No, not really. A bit frustrated perhaps, as all conversations are about centrepieces and guest lists. Not planning how to escape your fiancée." It made sense why he was on the flirting path in the beginning. Enjoying his new found freedom.

"What happened between you and the weasel?" Some habits are hard to kill.

"A deep friendship mistakenly assumed for the everlasting love." Her finger thumbed a petal, "What united us not strong enough to keep us together. I used excuse after excuse to work long hours and avoid going home early. He did the same. When we were at home, we treated each other more like buddies. I couldn't give him passion, because I didn't feel it."

"It takes two to tango."

"He's not to blame, none of us is. We tried to fit in, as all our friends wanted to see us. It would make the picture complete, Harry and Ginny, me and Ron. A perfect portrait." She shrugged, "A complete failure, in the end, I hurt him more than I wanted, and vice versa. I'm genuinely happy that he's married now to Susan, who treats him as he should be treated. He's not a bad guy, he wasn't my missing piece. Nor was I his, that's all."

"But you lost faith in love."

"After Ron, I had six more failures to endure. Men that at first sight seemed perfect but, quickly after, turned out to be flops. A few wanted me as their prize, others wanted to shape me into the image of their perfect wife. Sit tight, don't say a wrong word, smile politely. _You can go shopping with Ginny, dear. But you must return by six because it's dinner time._ "

"I struck a nerve…"

"You have no idea." The main courses arrived, Hermione's surf 'n' turf choice - one of her favourites and Draco's grilled lobster.

"I'll try my best not to repeat my behaviour, but I can't promise. I tend to act a little hot-headed." Out of habit, he offered her a bite of his lobster after dipping it on the melted butter sauce. Her huge smile was the one he was after all night, as her teeth scraped his fork to clean it from its contents.

In return, she offered him a little of both, steak and prawn. He took the fork by holding her hand to his mouth. "I know, Draco. I know the beast by now."

"Be polite, please. I'm a dragon, not a beast."

"My bad, ferret."

"I like your combination."

"That may be the case, but I'm not trading plates. I love this dish." She picked a chip, dipping into the separate bowl of ketchup. "My mother and father took me often to Bath, and one of the pubs offered this on their menu. Mum always knew what I was going to ask for."

"Where are they now? Your parents?"

Her face darkened, "In Australia. I obliviated them for their own protection, without their consent."

He laid his fork back on this plate, taken back by her answer, "Why?"

"To prevent an attack on their lives by the Death Eaters. Out of precaution, but I did an excellent job, close to irrevocable for the healers but luckily it has been reversed. They chose to stay down under and continue with their new lives."

"Fuck." He pushed his plate away. "Our side has done quite a number on you. Saying I'm sorry can't make up for the sacrifices we forced you to make."

"Don't speak as _we_. You did nothing personally to me, you didn't issue any order. You were a pawn in a game that went way over our heads. Those who were to blame are dead. Case closed."

"I never treated you well, either."

"There's nothing to be gained from going over old ground. You are excused for the past, and I'm moving on." Hermione gave her choice of dessert, choosing in his place, by ordering a taster for two. A battle was on the way for most of the warm chocolate brownie, she supposed. "I bought you a gift."

"Like I deserve one, at the moment."

"You don't, that's right, but it's not a thing I can go and offer Nicholai." Teasing him was a good escape from the dark mood conversation. What's done cannot be undone.

"Lucky me, you can't replace me with an overgrown Viking."

She burst loud in laughter, "You're a piece when you're jealous. Despite the decorum lessons, you never gave a hand to the man."

"Even my father would be jealous of that curly blond hair." It only made her laugh louder, covering her mouth to mute some of the noise. Tables were looking accusingly at her display of fun. "You're one to talk. I pat a blondies arse, and you couldn't handle the view."

"Which blondie? Your duo's half or the one who made you imagine having claws run down your _willy_?" The twinkle in her eyes impossible to ignore.

"You just proved to me how much you paid attention."

"I never said the opposite." As expected, his focus went to the chocolate brownie, neglecting the Eton mess, a mix of whipped cream, broken meringue and strawberries, and the sherry trifle wally Ladd, a pudding of sorts with spongy fingers and cherry jam infused with sherry. "Draco, don't eat the brownie all by yourself. You have to share!"

"I did the entire dinner." To please her, he tasted the other two desserts, the trifle pleased him more than the meringue one. He scraped the last of the chocolate and dangled the spoon in front of her mouth. She opened, and he held it halfway, "Do you forgive me?"

"Will you do it again?"

"I can't promise, my mouth gets away from me before I notice. If it's not a repeat of this, it will be something else. I'm not perfect."

"Next time, I'll hex your _willy_."

"That's quite nasty." He fed her the spoon, her hand holding his in place to lick the remains of the brown goodie. What her tongue did, sent jolts straight to his groin.

Yet, it was up to her.

-oOo-

They took the stairs and the outside trail back to their suites. A male arm around a female waist. At a lazy pace, to enjoy the warm wind of the night.

She made no gesture to invite him into her room, and he didn't press it. It must be her choice, not his.

The bed felt cold, but he sighed. Draco knew he had to make up for the mess. She warmed up to him, during dinner, yet, it wasn't enough.

He learned how to appreciate her company a lot more.

-oOo-

He sensed her presence, woken up by the familiar crack of an apparition. Feigning being asleep, he waited for her next move. Hermione drew the sheet back, crawled inside his bed and sought the comfort of his arms.

It was deep in the night, but what time exactly he had no idea.

It didn't matter. What counted was the fact that she missed him too.

He pulled her closer, inserting a leg between hers. Falling asleep happened much faster now, she was home.


	13. Day Eighteen

**Beta'ed as always by my dear Magzillasaurus.**

 **You'll be happy, some of your favourite passengers return in this chapter...**

* * *

 **Day Eighteen**

* **Draco** *

He woke up alone, her side of the bed was still lukewarm, so she hadn't left that long ago. Flexing an arm under his head, he pondered the events of yesterday.

In less than twenty days, he had gone from hating her to relishing her presence.

Probably the fact that they were so close, seeking after each other's company at every turn, made it all more powerful than if a standard setting would have happened. If they even got that far, taking into consideration their ugly past and their circle of friends, he would have taken her on a few dates, tested the waters at a slower pace.

Inside this colossus, feelings were more intense. Events made them come together more often, they talked about a thousand and one things, laughed and made fun together. Got to know the other in a faster way that which within a typical environment, would take longer to discover.

 _Did he want to keep this a no-strings-attached arrangement?_

 _Or, was this slowly shifting into a more profound bond, with a possible future?_

The idea didn't sound so ridiculous anymore. He had zero fucks to give concerning blood prejudice, the tales he'd been fed as a child, turned out to be lies, every one. Her blood was no different than his, she wasn't at any point inferior to him, and he wondered why he ever had accepted the myth of Muggleborns stealing magic from other wizards.

Instead, under that bushy hair he didn't dislike at all, hid an incredibly intelligent woman with a sense of humour and thirst for adventure; with an immensely big heart, compassionate, loyal. She gave him a run for his money, not letting him get away with his shit - the body shaming moment fresh in his memory.

She had thought of him - the gift he still was to receive - nonetheless, it was the spirit that mattered. Despite wanting to be alone for a while, she kept him in her mind, spending the effort to find something he liked. Even if it was hideous, hell if he would show her less than gratitude.

At the next port, he would go shopping with her. Enjoy with her the local sightseeing, even if the symbolism of lighting a candle in a church was lost on him. Visit those little shops and spoil her with whatever her heart desired. He had some amends to make. Expensive jewellery wasn't the solution, in her case; this woman demanded another approach.

* **Hermione** *

She spent the night with him and left before he woke up. She had wasted hours turning in her bed, unable to find the needed peace to fall asleep. The reason lay in the suite next to hers. No matter how much she wanted to deny or ignore it, Draco brought a sense of peace to her night rest she had become addicted to.

That calmness she sought, was found when she apparated into his room and nestled in his arms. The intrusive leg between hers didn't bother her. Nor the light snoring in her ear. His warmth all the more. The temporary feeling of being cared for.

Slowly but steady, he was breaking through her walls.

Slowly but steady, she started to think that if he pushed for more, she wouldn't say no. The no-strings-attached idea lost its power, as each day another layer dissolved. Hermione discovered the man beneath the mask. The smart bloke, with a charm which was too good for his own health. Who wasn't too full of himself to excuse, admitting he was wrong.

He had done it with a romantic gesture; the white rose she had brought to her room, sat on her night table and was protected by a stasis. It had meant something. He didn't just barge in and make demands. He didn't throw a fit. Draco had brought her a flower and apologised. Honestly telling her, he couldn't promise he wouldn't falter again.

Melting her defences even faster.

She showered, braided her wet hair and put on her new sundress, turning around in front of the mirror to admire the fitting. It was shoulderless; however, the smock fitted perfectly around her bosom, and she didn't have the feeling the fabric would slide. She adjusted her sandals to coordinate and left her room to knock on his door.

-oOo-

In the morning, an initiation lesson in tennis was offered by the entertainment team. An American girl who was waiting in full tennis outfit, short white skirt and tight polo, including matching visor welcomed them in a typical 'we are all friends'- way onto the court. The other participants were a mix of ages plus a known passenger, Nicholai.

"Hello, Hermione. Nice to see you here." He kissed her on the cheek, ignoring Draco completely, who put an arm around her waist in a silent warning. "Have you ever played tennis?"

"Hi, Nick. I'm a complete layman when it comes to tennis. I watched Wimbledon often on the telly with my dad, but I never played." She accepted the tennis racket and let it swirl in her hand.

"Would you like to have lunch with me after class?" Nicholai disregarded Draco's interventions completely.

"She can't, she's with me." The Slytherin pulled her closer with a jerk.

"We can all go together?" Hermione squealed, but her idea was immediately rejected by both men.

Saved by the bell, more precisely their young American teacher, Jamie.

The rising tension cooled down minorly as the woman showed the basic tennis moves. Hermione imitated the swings, Draco and Nicholai engaged in a staring contest. The other man was sizing up the Slytherin from head to toe. Draco, not a man to bow down from a challenge, kept his back straight, pretending to pay foremost attention to the explanations while keeping the intruder in the corner of his eye.

Jamie proposed to pair up the audience, and Hermione chose immediately the company of an older woman who beamed at the youngster. Gently they traded slams, often missing the ball. A few times they ducked instead of knocking it off, laughing loudly in pleasure.

Several pairs further was a contest of 'knock out your adversary'. Nicholai used his upper body strength - being more muscular than Draco - to swing the ball like a sharp torpedo at the wizard. Draco employed his seeker's skills to dodge the impact but took advantage of the memento to slam it right back.

The tennis ball flew back and forth with more energy than the previous turn.

It reached the point where everyone else stopped playing to watch the pissing contest. Jamie tried to ease the tension, not that either of the men paid attention.

Hermione followed it with an open mouth. She and Nicholai had agreed to keep their one-night-stand as a one-time thing, _why was the man reacting this way?_ It made no sense.

Between she and Draco was no exclusivity deal going on either, how come he was acting so possessive? It had to be a Malfoy pride issue rather than one of jealousy. They hadn't promised each other fidelity, even if her recent nights had been spent with him rather than with strangers.

Honestly, it blew her away. Not even her common sense could understand why these roosters were acting out. _Men!_

Surprisingly enough, it was Draco who had the upper hand, not by sheer strength but thanks to the agility Nicholai lacked. The Slytherin used his whole body, changed the racket from hand to hand with ease and turned it with his wrist, making the other blond run after the tennis ball across the entire court.

Nicholai was not the man to admit a failure, and the spirit became more vicious, with a desperate Jamie trying to stop this blatant testosterone battle of egos.

Fed up with the 'who has the biggest prick' -display, Hermione shouted, "Will you both fucking stop!" She might as well have spoken into the ears of deaf men. Her words completely ignored, if nothing else, they only increased the venom between the two men.

Hermione had only one option left.

Praying for the best, she entered the tennis court and stopped halfway across, raising her arms into the air, "Stop!"

Draco yielded immediately. Hermione had positioned herself in a very precarious place, and he saw the danger instantly. But the other guy hadn't and blinded by vengeance, he hit Hermione square in the back of her head, the force pushing her face forward onto the ground.

Hermione's instinctive response was a wandless ball knocking the man's groin, enraged by the bloke's callousness; her hand floating to the back of her head to search for a trace of blood.

The blond blur who ran towards her, didn't register at first, "Shit, Hermione, look at me. Are you feeling okay? Are you dizzy? Count my fingers, witch! How many do you see?" Draco pushed her chin up, looking for a wound.

"What the hell were you doing, Draco?" She pushed him off her, and he fell on his arse, "Why didn't you, arseholes, ask for a ruler to size up each other's dicks!" Her comment made her concerned audience laugh loud, while Jamie kneeled apprehensively.

"It was quite a blow you took, Miss. You should take a rest in your room. Can you walk by yourself?"

"I'm not an invalid." She could feel a swelling grow, but a few quick checks calmed her worry. She didn't see double, her thoughts were coherent - the evidence was her falling-out toward Draco, plus the lack of a headache, for now. She only felt minor discomfort on the place the ball hit.

Draco got ready to pick her up, but she slapped his hands away. "I can stand by my own doing!" Adding action to her words, she stood up, with the aid of Jamie's offered hand while snapping off the dust of her clothes.

Nicholai was still whining, hands on his crotch. Gradually, he got up walking wobbly over to her, "Hermione, that was quite a ball you threw."

"Nothing you didn't deserve, Nick. You hit me!"

"You weren't my target, the knob was." The anger hadn't yet faded. "I only invited you for lunch."

"Your response was as childish as his, Nick. You nearly blew holes in the damn tennis racket. I'm surprised the ball didn't catch fire." _What a wanker_.

"He started it."

Draco huffed, "Tosser. She's with me."

"I'm with no one. Draco. Until you learn to have manners, I guess you should take a few steps back. Control your unfounded jealousy." Her firm finger dug holes in his chest, spinning seconds later, "As in for you, Nick. Thank you for the lunch offer, but I'll keep us as a one-time thing, I'm not interested in an _encore_ after such a childish display."

"Why does he get a second chance and I don't?"

 _When did I find this man attractive? What a arsehole…_ "Because we agreed the sex was too lousy to repeat." Her tennis partner chuckled as some other women did. Hermione faced Jamie, "I'm sorry these two toddlers ruined your lesson, Jamie." She placed her hands on Draco's back, and pushed him towards the exit, "Let me clean the area for you, can someone give me a hand with the Ken, please?"

A sturdy woman rubbed her hands and copied Hermione, shoving with a wide grin the other blond out of the tennis court, "C'mon baby, go cry in the corner. Your sensible manparts need some attention. They might be bruised."

Draco struggled, "I'm sorry, Hermione. I lost my common sense there…"

"Nice of you to recognise the problem. Do me a favour and ponder a little more on your attitude. Search for the reason why you behaved like a moron. In the meantime, I'm going to follow some initiation tennis lessons."

The wired door closed behind her almost in his face; the court was covered by a net against escaping balls.

As the peace returned to the group, Jamie took her place back as a mentor, and the two following hours were filled foremostly with laughter. The majority played as Hermione and her partner had in the start, ducking away from the projectiles instead of hitting them back, the opposite of how tennis is supposed to be played.

The blond wizard watched the young woman bloom in pleasure, with certain remorse. His temperament brought him more troubles than benefits.

-oOo-

* **Hermione** *

Lunch was consumed in the company of the female part of the group, men loudly forced to find another place to satisfy their hunger. Hermione joined with a nod, also watching how Draco dropped disappointed with the remaining men. A few clapped him encouragingly on the back.

The women flocked together. One main subject. Hermione's men.

"Dear, I wish I had two men fighting for me. So romantic."

"My favourite part was when the big Viking was singing falsetto. Your aim is perfect, girl…"

"Tell us the juicy part, honey… have you tested both men's talents?"

Hermione didn't believe her own ears, blushing from the naughty looks. Even Jamie, who joined under pressure, was all ears.

"C'mon, dear, share with the poor ladies how good they perform in bed… which man is your number one?"

"I bet the younger stallion. Did you see him gyrate those hips?"

"If only my Henry could do the same, without complaining about his arthritis. Imagine how it feels inside your…"

"Margaret, your thoughts are in the gutter, sister. If the priest heard you talk…"

"I would have to say at least twenty Hail-Mary's, Helen." The whole table cackled, "Now, miss Hermione, share with us." Pregnant silence, every woman inching closer to the table, "Which of the two gentlemen's sausages is the best?"

"Oh my god…" Hermione's breath quickened, it was getting weirder by the minute. She hid her face in her hands.

Her left companion elbowed her, "Which of the two showed you the fireworks? One of them must have given your fanny a good time… c'mon dear, it's the most exciting thing we've heard all week…"

Margaret provided the last push, "I bet it's the Viking with his muscled torso, did you see those abs?" Hermione's whine gave it away. "Ha, Helen, you guessed right. It's the young stallion with his old-fashioned ways…"

"What do you mean?" The brunette frowned, face blood-red.

"We have admired him for a while now, dear. He opens the door for you, pulls a chair back and always lets you enter a room first. Those empty-heads of today don't do such nowadays, love. My daughter's bugger doesn't, believe me!"

"He's quite a sight when he joins the pool, my dear. That Viking might be more beefed up, but yours has a feline elegance…" Lucy, her companion on the left, cooed dreamy.

Helen added to Margaret's opinion, "He knows how to be a gentleman, and also how to pleasure a woman. Put a ring on it, girl… such blokes are hard to find…"

-oOo-

* **Draco** *

"Young man, we need to have a talk…" Henry decided to give the blond a few suggestions, suspecting his wife was doing her thing at the ladies table.

Terry added, "You're going about it all wrong the way you've been woo'ing this woman, son." The remaining men nodded. "You have a woman who joins you at an innocent activity; when the moron came up to you, I swear she was looking for a way to evade him most politely."

"If you had reigned in your temper, my wife wouldn't have played against your girl. You would have." Donald added his two cents.

"She doesn't want to be my girl." Draco wondered why he was honest, he didn't know any of these men.

"Bullshite. It sounds like the average woman, she wants to be but is afraid that you'll reject her. My Margaret was just alike. What do _you_ want, young man? " Henry took a healthy swig from his beer.

"We have a bad history…"

"Share with the club. Have you and her, you know… tested the mattress?" Draco's blush answered swiftly, "A woman who, pardon my English, allows you to fuck her, is a woman who has put the past behind her."

"Terry is right, son. If she cared about your history, you would be entertaining yourself... instead of warming up her side of the bed." Donald wiggled his heavy eyebrows, "What do you want? Is she a temporary snack for you, or could she be your Helen?"

"Pff, yeah…" Draco felt uncomfortable, rubbing a hand on his neck, "I don't mind exploring what this could lead us to."

"Flowers, son. Flowers, chocolates, learn a poem or two - you'll find a few books in the library… I refreshed some of mine to get luckier during this journey, you gotta renew your inspiration, don't forget..."

"Jewellery works always…"

"Hermione doesn't care about baubles."

"Bullshite, they all do. You need to find something which will melt her heart. I guess your lady will love something delicate, something that when you look at it makes you think of her."

"I don't know if the ship's jewellery shop has such piece."

"Of course it doesn't. That damned shop is only there to knock more pounds out of the pockets of losers like us… Next stop, or the one after in America, I'm sure you'll find it there." The other men nodded in agreement.

"Start with flowers tonight, or you'll have a lonely night with your _willy_. Grovel a bit too, tell her you're very sorry and will do your best not to repeat…"

"I said it to her yesterday…" Draco was ashamed to admit.

"Son… what did you do?" Henry gave him an accusatory look.

"I… She decided to go shopping instead of spending time at the pool, as I thought we would. In the end, she abandoned me to go sightseeing, I got groped by a few horny women, and when I saw her return, I lashed out. I was a wanker first class, but it was too late when I realised." Once again he wondered why he was so open-hearted with these strangers? Probably their grey hairs brought out his need for a listening grandfather's ear?

"You couldn't express it better. You were a wanker first class. A woman that wants to go shopping alone is a blessing, son! Never argue against it, or it's your wallet that will do all the work."

"Henry even if it's hers, it's still my money that rolls…" Terry interjected.

"Also true. Shopping with your wife is never your favourite pastime. Bloody hell, when my Margaret enters a clothing store, I never know when I'll depart the damn place. _Henry, does this fit me? Henry, do I look fat in this dress? Henry, do you like the colour? Henry…"_

Donald stopped the man with a hand in the air, "Henry, we get it, my Helen is the same…" Draco chuckled like all other men.

"Son, it's often better to give them their choice for your peace of mind. Did you miss her? Show her afterwards how much with some schmoozing, but never argue with your lady. It brings you only troubles and a few days of no fumbling between the sheets. Remember, your last words should always be, _Yes, darling_."

"Hermione bought me presents, she told me." The judgemental glares from his table companions were telling. "Should I seek a box of chocolate?"

"I fear tonight will be a lonely one, son. Maybe tomorrow?" All the men felt compassion for the younger lad, "Keep your temperament reigned in, you'll live a better life. A longer one too…"


	14. Still Eighteen

**My Magzillasaurus is still my beta angel.**

* * *

 **Still Eighteen**

* **Hermione** *

After the hilarious lunch, Hermione returned to her room with a massive grin on her face. The conclusion was: those older women were crazy bats but funny ones, between them there was no filter possible, blurting out the first thing they thought. She and Jamie often covered their faces in embarrassment, with the turns the conversation took.

How Margaret's husband fell asleep, while she summoned every ounce of chi she could muster to pull the seductive body in the bathroom. _I had to wake him and his willy up!_

Helen confessed to grinding up some aphrodisiac pills into Donald's food, to have more fun in bed than the boring humping of usual, _a woman has needs! Dear, I'll write down the brand, my head isn't what it used to be anymore … for when your stallion hits his sixties…_

Louise gave her some tips on how to seduce her boy, _the little things which make a man crazy you know… In her younger years, she took her share of shags and learned more than a thing or two… like a certain thing, you can do with your tongue…_

Even now, a few hours later, Hermione smirked with a blush, _crazy bats, alright_. The general opinion was, let Draco stew a little in his own sorrow and enjoy the grovel he was going to employ. _Hopefully, he'll dote on you with the chocolate, flowers and some jewellery._

When Hermione objected that she wasn't one for the baubles, nearly all the women including Jamie tsk'ed at such a stance. _Women never ever deny jewellery! Let him bring the bling, spend some pounds on you, otherwise, he'll never gift you those in the moments that really matter._

When she asked, "Which moments are those?" she received a condescending answer, "My dear, when you give birth to his baby, whether the first or the fifth. Or, when you celebrate your anniversary, Valentine…"

Pulling her bikini under the strapless dress she wore this morning, she headed to the outside pool and joined her group of women, as they admired the male beauty around the premises, " _Love, we're not body-shaming nor cheating on our husbands. We simply are enjoying the view, as our men have lost the battle against gravity. The abs have become beer bellies, much to our sorrow."_

What surprised her the most, was the amount of gossip she learned in that afternoon. Who was fucking who behind the back of his wife. About the two women that took a new man every night to their room; Helen even entrusted her telling how Draco had been one of their very first victims, _rest assured, since we spotted you with him, he has been faithful to you and has ignored the various advances of those two slags and of other women, too._

Something Hermione suspected already, as he kept around her instead of wandering by himself as at the beginning of the cruise.

The amount of chatter was of such size that Hermione wondered if these women actually did anything else all day. Her face must have been a giveaway, as Louise uttered, _What else can we do? Playing bridge all day is dreary, my dear._

The Gryffindor couldn't remember when she had last laughed so hard, after such a hilarious afternoon between women. Or girls. This was something she had to repeat with Ginny and Susan, perhaps even invite Luna…

-oOo-

The nightfall was replacing the sunny day at a lazy pace. The ladies had forced her to join their evening table at the Meridian restaurant, and somehow, she didn't mind ending the day as it almost started.

Margaret had ensured her that her husband Henry would bring Draco along, _let him grovel with us as a witness. No one-on-one, tonight must be a dry one, so he learns his lesson. You'll show him what he's missing if he continues with his behaviour…_

With this intention on her mind, she chose a blousing halterneck top, and tight-fitting white pants, finishing it off with comfortable high heels with a strap. Her fingers fumbled with the earrings as she heard a light knocking on her door. _Three times guess who it is._

"In a minute!" She gave it up taking the damn earring back in her palm so the other could open the door. Hermione stared at a blond tuft of hair between a huge bouquet of flowers and the largest teddy bear the shop must have to sell. She broke in a burst of laughter, "The bear is so tiny, couldn't you bring me something bigger?"

His face was a picture, "Isn't it big enough?"

She took it in her arms, hiding her face in the soft fur, "This isn't excusing you from your behaviour this morning."

"But is it helping?" He offered her the flowers, knowing he might have overdone it a little.

It forced Hermione to put away her jewellery and enlarge the vase in her room to accommodate the large bouquet. "I haven't decided yet."

"I should have gone for the chocolate, but when I saw the bear… I'm such a Hufflepuff at times." His murmurings were so endearing.

"Since when do you use chocolate as a peace offering?"

"Since this afternoon, those grandpa's gave the hi-" He held his mouth further, blushing from being caught spilling the beans.

"The flowers, the bear and the chocolate are all their doing?" She inclined her head, pursing her lips.

"Woman, I'm out of ideas. The only thing I keep doing is pushing your buttons and setting you up against me." He threw his arms in the air, "I like driving you starkers when you're bantering with me. Antagonising you isn't on my to-do list anymore."

Forgetting to work on her attire, Hermione picked up the plastic bag from the corner she threw it at, yesterday. It hadn't changed places since. "Here, I bought this for you." She gave him the shirt. "It's made of cotton, hand sewn, woven on a huge loom. It couldn't be more authentic."

He held it before him, in silence. All of a sudden, he shook off his blazer and pulled his shirt over the head to try the newest quickly before her mirror.

"It fits as I hope it would. The son of the store owner was roughly built like you, and I guessed your size a little." Hermione stood behind him, smiling softly.

Draco stroke over the planes of his chest, feeling the fabric, voice hesitant, "Thank you."

"I'm not done, Draco. When I saw this little green and blue dragon, I thought of you." The little sculpture exchanged from hands, Hermione stood now before him, "The locals called them the _Alebrijes_ , a piece of folk art, handmade." He barely had the time to marvel at the adorable creature, or he got another gift pushed into his hands, "And this black bracelet stole my heart, I could see it on your wrist when I laid my eyes upon it."

She rubbed the beads, "It's made from black clay, the carvings on the leaves are done by hand, and I thought you might like it to cover the mark on your arm… and as you're so fond of the colour black… I bought a similar one for me."

The waterfall of words got muted by a pair of lips, "I love it all, and I don't deserve any of it." The thumb rubbed her cheek incessantly, "Not after the way I reacted yesterday and today. Or the danger I put you in while I fought a stupid battle of the biggest ego." He kissed her again, deeply. Hands cradling her face gently, after dropping their content to the side. Sucking her bottom lip before releasing her mouth from his lips. "You wanted to be alone and ended thinking of me at every corner." He possessed her mouth once more, intenser. Consumed by an emotion, he didn't want to label.

Foreheads touched as the kiss ended, "Can you forgive me again?"

"Is this going to become a daily thing?"

"Am I allowed to lie? I don't do it on purpose, 'Mia. It happens before I know it."

"Goofy prat."

He claimed her lips once more, longing whispering through him, "I don't want to leave."

"I'm looking forward to a night of fun, those women are beyond crazy." She wasn't letting him coerce her into forgiveness through a shag between the sheets. His long sigh made her almost change her mind. Pecking him quickly on the lips, she went to her commode, picking up the annoying earring and inched closer to the mirror to pierce it through her earlobe.

In the meantime, Draco changed into his silken shirt, adjusting the tie again, not for once taking his eyes away from her. His lips curled at her frustration, the damn closure wasn't cooperating. She turned at last.

He extended his left arm, "Can you help me with the bracelet?" The cuff was rolled up, exposing his dark mark now grey of tones. Hermione nodded while fastening the ties.

"Is it too tight? Should I lose it up?" Her finger dove behind the cord to test the space between.

"No, it's perfect." The cuff was tightened back, and he shrugged his blazer back on, flipping his wrist to admire the bracelet, "It's perfect, Mia." A hand snaked around her head and pulled her back into a heated kiss. Words couldn't express what he felt.

Before desire clouded her judgement, she pushed him off. "It's time for fun with the crazy group. Let's go." Lacing her fingers through his, Hermione walked away decidedly. The advice of Louise fresh in her memory, one dry day to ensure his loyalty in the future.

-oOo-

The loud welcoming of the women almost made Draco return with Hermione in tow. What the hell was that? If he went by Hermione's smile, it seemed normal behaviour.

"I'm officially jealous of your body's curves." Margaret left her filter in her room, apparently, "You look like a goddess."

Helen agreed, "We looked like that in our early years. Perky breasts, an arse that doesn't need corrective underwear to look firm."

Terry added, "A belly that feels more pillowy than in the past." Louise shot him an angry look, which didn't promise much good later.

"Young man, another lesson, son. You are allowed to think all you want, but-" Henry suggested to him wisely.

Donald finished the thought, "But it's wise not to say it all. Talking is silver, silence is-"

Terry tried to mend his deed, "Gold, son. Shutting up is often the wisest choice." It didn't do much good. "Damned, another dry night."

Hermione followed the conversation, _someone has been taught the hard way…_

The women kept giving her hints on how to be the boss in the relationship, Draco listened liking the company every moment a little less. Hermione heard and waited.

Some of those bits of advice slashed through the principle of equality. With Ron, she had to steer their relationship as he couldn't take much initiative. He was a fantastic guy, but he preferred to sit back and let her do the decision making.

She hadn't yet been that long with Draco, but she knew that with him, it would be about compromising, so both had their pleasure. He wouldn't let her walk all over him, in return neither would he cut away her room for manoeuvring.

Her thoughts flew to the huge brown teddy bear on her bed. His peace offering instead of a shiny bauble. It smelled of the aftershave he applied, even if he skipped the shaving. The light stubble gave him a masculine look she appreciated. Hermione conceded that if the wrong buttons were pushed, his competitive Slytherin side came to rise instinctively.

-oOo-

Overall, the night was enjoyable. Not all suggestions were useful, some even totally wrong, its outcome guaranteeing the ruining of the relationship by removing any agency from your partner. Suppose something grew between them, this wasn't the way she would let their bond become.

Draco walked her back to the room, expecting to be ditched at his door. Yet, her dreamy side and the retelling of all she learned with the three ladies made his walk to his dreaded destiny, bearable.

She turned the key and pushed the door open, "It was a fun day if we forget that little event in the morning."

"Yes, don't remind me please." He kissed her knuckles and wanted to release her hand turning away from her. Yet, her fingers didn't let him go, they kept his hand linked. "Listen, Hermione. I'm done with the no-strings-attached. I can't handle the thought of you with another man, this morning's idiotic affair was the proverbial straw. I want more." His free hand raked through the hair, "I want more, Mia."

He toyed with a brown curl before pressing his lips on her mouth, "You know where to find me." It was his turn to pivot and use the key to open his own door.

A weight settled on her heart, he voiced a longing she felt grow stealthily. He complimented her in a way not one wizard could until now. Draco pushed her limits, made her laugh, gave her passion and brought calmness to her life. He wasn't a saint, pretty much the opposite, however, nothing she thought irreconcilable. But to turn their friendship with benefits into a promising relationship, brought her fear of ending up alone back to life.

Absentmindedly, she entered her room and closed the door, leaning against it. Her eyes fell on the giant teddy bear sitting on her bed. Walking towards it, she nestled between the fluffy arms, wishing they were larger to envelop her inside a comforting cocoon. Its scent was familiar, the mix between his aftershave and something male, uniquely his.

It threw her deeper into the pit.

What did she want?

The prospect of a single life, fluttering from one to another man to kill the needs but never settling down and having the family life she deeply dreamed of?

Or, jump into the dark, take the leap of faith and try to see if she could build a future with a man that despite their past, was surely becoming a partner she enjoyed having around? A man she often felt proud to have at her side? Not only because of how he looked - which was breathtaking; no, preferably the way Draco stood in life. Steady, with confidence. He knew what he wanted, knew how to get it and acted upon it. He didn't wait for others to do it for him. He took control.

Yet, Draco never forgot she was with him. As those old bats noticed, he opened the door for her, always gestured to go first, pushed her chair, served her was it another cuppa or a glass of wine. He noticed the details, and now the blood prejudice clearly had been erased, Draco forfeited the arrogant venom and replaced it with endearing charm and passion.

Deep in thought, she fumbled with the paw of her bear. Shoes were kicked off her feet, pulling her legs higher up into a foetal position.

What did she want?

* **Draco** *

On the other side of the wall, the blond undressed to his trunks and fell on the bed with a bounce, arm flexed under his head, the hand of the other drawing circles on his abdomen.

He put the decision about the future of their relationship in her hands. More than that, Draco was convinced that continuing the way they were was impossible for him. The line of emotions was fading in his heart. Friends with benefits don't get jealous.

Friends with benefits don't attack possible opponents, don't protect the territory.

Friends with benefits don't buy each other gifts, with the intention to make the other party genuinely happy, seeking the perfect piece or thinking of the other half immediately when the eyes fell on a particular item.

He was going to buy her chocolates, queueing behind two people at the candy store. The waiting made him check out the other store windows, while he tried to figure out how much was too much, when his eyes fell on the brown cuddle with its red bowtie and an adorable looking face. The bear made him smile on the spot. It charmed him so that he was drawn and ended buying the damn teddy.

Draco never drew so much attention as while he marched towards Hermione's room. Seldom was the moment a passenger didn't smile at the sight, the bear almost covering the man who carried it. For once, the glances were appreciative instead of judging.

Her opening line, a joke he didn't catch at first, reaffirmed he made the right choice. The bear was set on her bed, not dropped on the floor as a disposable item. No, Hermione carried it with care and placed it on her side of the bed.

Something he also admired within her. She didn't care about the price tag. At lunch, she didn't choose the most expensive meal. The bear had cost peanuts, compared to a few pieces of jewellery he bought for Astoria. The look of gratitude on the brunette's face stood heavily in contrast to the air of disdain from his ex-fiancee if the gift didn't look expensive enough.

It was the gesture that mattered to the Gryffindor. Not how deep the dent it caused in his vaults.

It was all or nothing. Go all-in for a relationship or go back to the polite friendship, ditching the sexual benefits. Something in between was impossible without sacrificing his heart. Rather be single.

He was nervous. Fingers fumbling around his stomach, his breath quickened. _Was it wise to give a witch such power over him? Was she worth it?_

* **Hermione** *

She whirled around in bed, still cradled within the fluffy arms of the cuddle, staring at the connecting wall.

Doubting.

If she said no, would he keep this agreement going, as if the question was never asked? Or would he end whatever this was and go back to being a stranger? As her neighbour on the other side of her room?

A lonely tear descended her cheek. Followed by a second.

The Slytherin had slithered inside her life, branded her with his presence and the annoying but oh so invaluable attitude. Hermione stood on the figurative crossroad not knowing what the right move was.

 _Where's my Gryffindor bravery?_ Leap of faith or crawl away in fear?

Clutching her wand firmly in her grip, she made her choice.

* **Draco** *

He took a sharp breath, startled by the sound of an apparition. Before him, stood his witch with her arms wrapped around herself, face carrying the traces of the tears she had shed.

"Don't fear us." In a whim, he crossed the distance and pulled her against his frame, whispering confidence, "I want you so badly, don't fear us." Hermione clung to him as a safety line, claiming his mouth heatedly.

Picking her up bridal style, he moved to the bed demanding his spot between her legs, after laying her down on the mattress. He caressed her bare skin under the top, until his fingers reached the outline of her breast, stroking the softness through the lace of her bra.

Her legs snaked around his waist, pressing his groin harder against her core, while the delicate fingers traced lines on his back desperate to feel him close to her. Every inch of her craved him, heat spreading through her body as his mouth worshipped her lips, her jawline down her neck to her collarbone.

Desire burned down his veins, and he released her long enough to undress her, eating her with his eyes until gazes crossed and drowned them with passion. Teeth clashed, hands didn't know what to caress first, the taut nipples, the full breast, or merely cradle her head to worship her beauty.

Her hand found his shaft, and guided him into her body, moaning as he stretched her quim. Draco delved into her with languid strokes, savouring every inch, absorbing her moans with his mouth, hand travelling over her whole body.

"Look at me, Hermione."

Melting brown met liquid mercury, want burning in his stare, "We are good together, we fit each other. You complete my life as the missing part of a puzzle." He sped up his thrusts, arousal escalating in his veins, "I want to make you happy," he kept talking, panting, "You and me, we're good." plundering her mouth, "You're mine, witch." His climax approached faster than desired, her smooth walls snuggling his cock with her scorching heat.

His thumb found her engorged clit and rubbed it with determined circles, pinching between brushings. Hermione cried, squeezing her legs together and pulling him deeper inside her cavern, "Draco, oh my god…"

"Hermione… fuck… your pussy is made for my cock." Something snapped, and he fucked her with abandon, supporting his weight on his arms to give his mouth access her peaks and suck hard on them, while his hips rutted into her. His pelvis hit her clit at every thrust and pushed her over the edge.

Nails creased half-moons on his back, her whole body tensed, as the fire burned over her entire being. He rode her waves of pleasure with more vigour, searching for his point of no return, letting a guttural growl escape as he felt his seed pulse into her channel.

Her hands grabbed his globes and pulled him tight into her body, biting his shoulder with need.

Sweat trickled down his nose, and a drop left a trail of wetness between the valley of her breasts.

Breaths mingled. The only sound in the room, even though both sets of eyes were fixed on one another. Words were superfluous. Draco sank into her, wrapping his arms around her and flipping them. His member softened, but he kept her wrapped around his body.

This time, his life started anew with a sense of peace. This time, he shared mind and body with a witch he could see himself grow old with. Even if it was too soon to speak of such. It was no burden. Not a life sentence.

If felt like the future he hoped to have but had stopped believing possible.

She belonged with him.


	15. Day Nineteen going Twenty

**To be read with a Margarita in hand... don't complain otherwise :) Beta'ed by my angel Magzillasaurus.**

* * *

 **Day Nineteen going Twenty**

 **Day Nineteen**

Draco woke her up two times during the night.

The first time, she found his blond hair between her legs. He worshipped her core, laving in her juices until she broke.

The second round, it wasn't an awaken Draco rubbing his shaft between the crease of her arse, but a sleepy one, reliving apparently a wet dream.

Either way, when the sun finally pushed the last traces of sleep, Hermione felt certain parts of her body ache; not that she complained. A pale hand claimed ownership of her bosom, as they spooned against each other, a hairy leg between her own, possessive.

Hermione drew a long breath.

"Good morning, princess."

She stretched purring, wiggling her bum, "M'ning."

There was no room for air between their bodies, Draco hugging her tighter, inserting his arm under her neck, and cradling it around the neck, "Do we order room service?"

"What time is it?"

"A little after ten o'clock, sleepy head."

The fog in her brain dissipated immediately, "What?"

"Where's the fire? We're not in Hogwarts, and you haven't missed any classes, love." He nibbled her earlobe, "Do you want eggs with bacon or that strange thing you love, granola?"

"You should try it, it's very healthy."

"It looks like the bird food my father feeds his peacocks, no thank you. I'm a man with needs." He swatted her arse, enjoying seeing it jiggle from the movement. "I'm ordering me a decent breakfast, for you the grains you call food." Draco was glad to have gotten a hand with the tilifone, to escape her mocking laughter.

Spinning her around, he trailed her features with the tips of his fingers, "I can't tell you how happy I am with the decision you made. I couldn't go further as we were."

"I don't want to be hurt, Draco. Merlin knows how much I have already endured. It destroys a piece of your spirit, every time you have to say goodbye to a partner because it didn't work."

"It will not happen to us. You and I will work together to make this work, we will not keep secrets to each other, we need to be honest for one another." His eyes roamed over her face, memorising every inch. "You know me at my worst, it's time I show you my best."

"You know what makes me tickle too…"

"It's burned into my memory, my nose hasn't forgotten." They chuckled, "What do we do today?"

"Be lazy. Nothing."

The blink in his eye couldn't be missed, "I can't promise to remain a good boy, with such a goddess in my bed." His next words were interrupted by the knocking on his door.

Hermione covered her nudity with the sheet, while Draco opened the door half dressed. A banknote exchanged of hands, and so did a trolley with the food. Once the door was closed, Hermione sat up straight in bed, keeping the sheet around her breasts. He gave her the bowl with the cereal and the fresh cut fruit, which she mixed before spooning some into her mouth.

"Do you want to go for one of those rock massages?"

"They do them as couple events too…"

"Let's do it, your ugh-and-ah massage, plus dinner at that Indian place on the top deck."

"Perfect."

-oOo-

They went for a sauna and the hot stone massage. Draco was the impersonation of a cooked lobster after the steam room, puffing under the heat. Sweat ran through his body.

Hermione roared.

"Holly fucking Salazar's saggy ball nut!" He screamed his lungs out under the ice cold shower that followed, "I'm certain that part of my body has shrunk. Ahh! Son of a banshee!"

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Crybaby." Draco gave her a dirty look.

Wrapped in their robes, they headed into the next room, with two massage tables including facial cradle. The scent of lavender and patchouli filled the room, with relaxing music playing softly on the background.

When his hostess laid the first hot stone on his body, Hermione shook of laughter with his loud hiss, "Draco, you are a real snake."

He grumbled in his massage table, face hidden within the facial cradle. After a while, the only sounds in the room were the relaxing background tunes and the long deep breaths from both tables, especially when a deep back massage followed the rubbing of the stones.

Her wizard returned to reality with a softened face, "We need to introduce this in our community. My mother would delight at such a treatment." They paced lazily back to the room in their bathrobes.

Hermione gasped, hand before her mouth, "Noooo! Muggles do something right? How dare they!"

"I feel totally unwound now, your mocking doesn't phase me."

"Yes, master." He broke in a burst of laughter at her giggles.

Carefree, they settled down in the loungers, enjoying the sea sight from their balcony. Draco ran back inside and returned with their excursions book, "San Luca also offers a sightseeing journey…"

"I don't need to go shopping per se, what else do they offer?"

He read it loud, "Sail and snorkel, whale watching, resort getaway. What's that?"

"Probably stay in a real hotel, with a pool. If you want to, but I prefer something else, is it all they have?"

"No, wait. Lands and Cabo view…"

"We've done it already in Aruba…"

"Highlights and scenery… the church thing you did at the last port, and something strange, salsa and salsa."

"Salsa? How do they describe it? As for cooking or dancing?"

"Both. It's making salsa's and dancing the salsa while drinking bottomless margaritas."

"That promises fun. Salsas are dip sauces for crisps, but it's also a passionate form of dancing. A mix of styles, to be precise, really pleasant."

"Compared to that clip affair we danced the other time?"

"Totally different, but equally exciting."

"Salsa it is."

-oOo-

 **Day Twenty**

The tender boat brought them to the shore, as their ship was too big to dock at the port. In front of a minibus, two familiar couples joined Draco and Hermione, Helen and her Donald plus the hilarious Margaret with her Henry.

"Ah, look at that, Henry! Young love is so beautiful." The filter was evidently left at the ship. "It reminds me of us, thirty-five years ago." Henry agreed with a lazy nod. He was holding his breath, wondering what else this journey would bring. Henry knew that his Margaret had a very low alcohol-tolerance. He only hoped that his hernia would give him a break so he could keep up with his wife on the dancing floor, she was a force to be reckoned with.

The short ride to the shore rewarded them with incredible sightings. For that alone, this journey was worth its cost. But the real deal started with two enthusiastic women who waved at the bus, welcoming.

"Bienvenidos! We are Joy and Suzanne, and we will be your hostesses today. You'll learn to make different salsas, we'll introduce you to different types of margaritas, let you taste a few Mexican snacks, and finally, we'll teach you how to dance a Salsa properly."

Margaret interjected, "Properly? After you fed us so many cocktails? I wonder who'll dance straight…" The mood was set, everyone cracked.

Each pair chose a place at a table which was set up in a U-shape, with a lime squeezer, and a mortar and pestle at their disposal.

In no time, laughter filled the whole place. Draco and Hermione mixed side by side the ingredients for six different salsas, testing their results with the provided nacho crisps, quesadillas and taquitos, or with fingers when decently challenged.

The hostesses also kept their glasses full, changing from regular margaritas into fruity ones or the frozen version. A few times Hermione asked for the non-alcoholic version for both of them, sensing the heat spread at a frightening speed. The perfectly cut ingredients at the beginning were less accurate by the end, as even Draco felt the alcohol rise to his head.

His biggest mistake was trying, with big manners, a generous portion of the jalapeno salsa, announcing he could handle spicy food. His face went fiery red in a matter of seconds, eyes open wide and no matter how much he fanned, this tongue burned heavily. As if it wasn't enough, he used his regular margarita to wash away the spicy feel on his tongue. A whole glass was gone in one turn.

After the incident, he giggled as hard as Hermione did, both sporting a blush on their faces. Margaret and Helen couldn't remain quiet either, also using lewd comments and dirty talk every chance they had. At times, about certain passengers on board, others about how one of the less perfect red peppers resembled certain male parts… Their men tried to remain stoic, recognising their wife's antics. There was nothing they could do anyway…

No wonder no one turned down the introductory lesson to the Salsa dance which followed the cooking lesson. By that time, everyone was comfortable enough to make fools of themselves and have a good laugh at their own abilities to dance or those of each other. Later, Hermione would admit that she didn't learn much about the dance, yet the memories of a hilarious time made it all worth it.

The return journey to the tender boat happened with singing, everyone holding for dear life to the recipes of their salsas, a gift from their hostesses. Draco didn't know what they were singing, but fell in tune crooning ahhh and ohhh, for fun.

A few couples had bought the mortar and the lime squeeze, to make the salsas when they got home.

Draco pulled Hermione by the arm around her waist, giggling with her, "Do you have any sober up potion? I can't go dine like this…" He was as tipsy as she was, but still sober enough to think of a solution.

"I do, let's go to my room."

"Miaone, do you know what I want to do now?"

"No…" The wall shuddered at the strength of her shutting the door. "Oops, too strong."

"Dip my taquito in your salsa…" He giggled like a kid saying something naughty.

"Which salsa exactly?" She returned his laughter with a cheeky grin.

"The red salsa, well seasoned but not too spicy to burn my tongue…" Draco snuggled her neck, hands squeezing her bum against his hips. The hardness impossible to ignore,

"Please?"

The sober up potion was forgotten, as he pushed her into bed and made her giggle from his ticklers turning them into moans when the hands changed tune.

"I want to nibble on your quesadilla, senora." He suckled her peaks, "So delicious…" He slithered down her body, "I'm going to drink from my favourite margarita…" His tongue dipped inside her channel. Hermione mewled, pinching her breasts in need. "Oh, senora… You kneading your tits is so hot to watch… tweak a nipple, love." She followed. "Rub it between your fingers, yes… pull at it like that… fuck I'm almost cumming…"

Draco kneeled, rose her hips and guided his cock into her quim, her legs resting against his shoulders. Her core clenching around his member at every thrust. His thumb found her clit, rubbing eights around the nub, "Oh fuck…"

Supporting his weight on his stretched arms he folded her, entering her in a whole new angle. "Draco...damn, you're so deep...holy shit…"

Heavily aroused by the alcohol and her moans, he rammed his dick erratically into her, groaning loud, "I can't hold… fuck, I'm cuming… 'Miaone, I mean Maya… shit, oh fuck…" His mewling ended with a long groan, plundering her lips.

Sensing his orgasm had come too fast for her, he removed his softening member and launched an attack on her spongy place, rubbing it with a vigour that had her squirming in no time, "Yes, love, that's it…" Draco added a third, fingering her hard and switching from powerful thrusts to stroking the spot that had her crying.

The jolts of fire intoxicated her senses, his voice in her ear overwhelming her, "Clench around my fingers, Hermione…" The way he pronounced her name, did it. "I love it when you squeeze me inside you, like in right now… you're so wet…" He kept riding her waves of pleasure until he felt her settle down, exhausted but satisfied. Hermione clung to him, kissing him deeply between the long breaths that escaped her lips.

"I'm done, Draco." He chuckled against her skin, spooning around her. "I need a nap… sleep off all my margarita's." She took a deep breath, purring at exhaling. "Just five minutes…"


	16. Day Twenty-One

**My angel Magzillasaurus beta'ed this for you.**

* * *

 **Day Twenty-One**

"I need to kill all the excesses from the past few days." They were enjoying breakfast, Draco the regular English version with a generous portion of beans, hash browns, black pudding and sausages, plus two fried eggs. The plate was filled to the brim. She felt her cholesterol rise from watching alone.

Her choice was a healthier blueberry yoghurt and two slices of brown bread with jelly and some fresh fruit on the side.

Draco frowned at her statement, "What's the plan then?"

"I'm going to do some fitness this morning. Yesterday's fatty snacks and all the alcohol is more than I'm used to, Draco. I don't mind if you don't want to come, you can stay in the room or go for a swim?"

"I don't know yet." His scoop of beans prevented him from saying further. He didn't trust those weird machines, anyway.

His decision would change once he saw her outfit: tight sports top and the shortest hotpants he ever saw, "You don't go to your fitness like that!"

"Draco, we will not have this kind of conversation again. I wear what I want, you don't dictate my choices."

"Princess, your legs are a man's wet dream."

"I thought my tits were."

"Also. You know how I feel about men ogling your assets." He rummaged through his stuff, but didn't found anything remotely appropriate to go for a sportive morning. He took a spare pyjama set and transfigured it into baggy sweatpants and a tank top. "I'm coming with you, I'll do some sit-ups or so…"

"Whatever, but if you start an argument with anyone because of me, you'll be in so much trouble."

"Yes, darling."

-oOo-

The fitness room was filled with a mix of men and women, puffing and sweating at different machines, the majority completely strange to Draco. He recognised the bikes, though their frames were anchored. He might try that now that he knew how to ride them.

A cheery beefed up man, dressed in the company's logo uniform, approached the couple, "Hello sweethearts, I'm your trainer Angelo, welcome to my kingdom. What can I do for you?"

"I'm here to work out a few muscles and kill an overload of calories. My boyfriend isn't familiar with a gym."

"I see, I'm putting you up for a light program to undo a little of the damage such cruises create on your body, and as for your lovely boyfriend, my dear, I'm going to make him get acquainted with all these amazing machines. I would love to see you return to my realm."

If there were any doubts, the way the man was eyeing Draco from head to toe took them all away. It was apparent to which side the man swung. Grey eyes pleaded for help but found none. _Let him deal with this Italian... after his jealousy strikes…_

Angelo set Hermione on a light warm-up course on the bike, and motioned the blond to follow him to the cross-trainer, "You look like an athlete, this will be a great start. This machine requires a skilful man, I can see by your streamlined body that you sport." On one side, the man freaked Draco out, he wasn't used to be checked out by the same-sex; but on the other, this bloke knew how to rub his ego the right way.

Angelo continued, pointing out to another user, "You pedal on this machine, creating elliptical movements, you see? For instance, when your left foot goes down, stretching the leg, your right arm will be pulling its handle. It comes down to skill and synchronised movements. What do you say, beauty? Give it a try?"

Draco gulped, mounted the trainer and gave it a try slowly. He quickly gained a grip on the technique, receiving cheering applause from the trainer, "Perfect, lovely. Now when you feel comfortable, increase the resistance, I'll come for you within ten minutes." Draco released a relieved smile but sniffed; the trainer whispered less silent than desired, "You have a fine arse, stud."

Hermione followed from afar, enjoying Draco's features.

When her ten minutes biking came to an end, she headed to the treadmill, gesturing to Draco to come and claim its neighbour. Angelo noticed and set up a new challenge, "I'll use a low-level challenge for both, of course for your boyfriend, the male version." The man pressed a few buttons, and the belt started at a low pace, Hermione easily falling into a rhythm.

"Draco, it starts as stepping but soon you'll have to run on this. I hope the program he set up will make us run a little uphill." Her words weren't yet cold, or the belt picked up a higher step. Both followed the challenge easily but Draco's was indeed more demanding than Hermione's, and soon he was puffing using his whole body to keep up the speed. His steps grew more burdensome as the surface raised into a minor hill, similar to hers.

It was a new but pleasant experience, especially when he paid attention to the monitor in front that displayed a running field as if he was there. Another ten minutes flew by, without notice.

After the treadmill, the Italian trainer made them go for weights, pumping and a few other exercises, always admiring Draco's body unabashedly. Hermione tried to ease the discomfort by dropping a kiss or a caress, "He wishes you warmed his bed, but I'm the lucky girl."

An hour and a half later, they headed to their suite for a shower and change of clothes.

Draco confessed, "I don't mind the gym…" giving her an inquiring look about the use of the correct word, "But the man was freaking me out."

"Ignore him, he's guiding us pretty well. I would like to upgrade my physical shape, and he seems to be a good trainer for it…"

"Only because you ask…" He kissed her with a loud smack. "I enjoyed the treadmill the most, made me think of my running through the Manor's fields or around the lake at Hogwarts."

Draco made her pick up a fresh change at her room, before apparating them into his to share a long, satisfying shower with some extra physical activities. Shortly said, his abs got quite a work-out that morning.

-oOo-

* **Hermione** *

Nothing could have prepared her to deal with an over-romantic Draco Malfoy. Showing her what a perfect boyfriend he could be. Compared to the bragging teenager she saw dating the Parkinson girl, back in their Hogwarts-days, this was an entirely different man.

Always touching with a stroke, pulling her closer for a kiss and letting go of her hand - or a few times, not even that - just long enough for a brief touch of lips against her hair.

How he did it was a mystery, but he succeeded into scoring a last-minute table at her favourite restaurant on the ship, the Sindhu. "We haven't tasted all the dishes yet."

Hermione only smiled, wondering if his success was thanks to persuasion or a _confundus_ that sealed the deal. She knew it wasn't Draco's preference, but she kept describing the food as divine, and he admitted that its setting was astonishing thanks to the restaurant's location on the top deck.

They had argued about his request to move in with him, which ended with Draco conceding into keeping the arrangements as they were. Each in their own suite. Things were already moving at a rapid pace, she didn't want to rush into everything after two days. She needed for the time being a place where she could have some privacy. Spend a few moments Draco-free.

He could be intoxicating, and she was still adjusting to this new reality. The start of a relationship with the blond former-enemy turned lover. Which could evolve into fulfilling her deepest desire, a family.

It was not what she expected to encounter when she boarded the Arcadia. She wanted to put distance between the suffocating home with all the couples in love and never thought to find her own dream on board, and definitely not in the arms of the boy who bullied her.

Life had a way of turning onto the most unexpected paths. She braced herself, fearing that she might be dreaming too fast.

-oOo-

Laying the last hand on her hairdo, Hermione took in her image on the mirror. _Thank god I've gone shopping with Ginny!_ The long rosy dress hugged her female curves with all the glamour without going overboard. Draco asked her to dress up a little for tonight, their first dinner as a couple. _What a marshmallow_.

She heard a light knock on her door.

Draco, dressed to the nines and with a white tulip in his hand, let his eyes roam over the beautiful women holding the door open. The Malfoy smirk made its appearance, "All the men will be jealous of me."

"It will be a first. Usually, it's the contrary…"

He kissed her softly on the lips, fearing to smudge her lipstick, "You look astonishing."

"You clean up nicely too, Draco." She hooked her arm around his elbow, "Be my guide."

-oOo-

Their passage through the halls of the Arcadia didn't go lost. Several male and female heads turned to admire the sight they formed, a jealous strike in the eyes the general demeanour.

Hermione didn't pay attention, Draco did. It stroked his ego to be parading this woman as his. The truth was that he felt more self-confident with her at his side. His ex-fiancée was a beautiful appearance, but a made up one. Hermione held a natural grace, makeup always applied to highlight and not to hide imperfections.

The freckles under her eyes weren't hidden. The shadow on her eyelids lightly applied, not overwhelming. He smirked thinking about that one time when Astoria appeared in front of him, so heavily made up that he asked her if she had a black eye. Man, did she bristle!

"What made you laugh?"

"Oh, nothing important. Old memories."

"Good ones?"

"More funny ones." He kissed her hair, inhaling the perfume of her shampoo. It was a brand he wanted her to keep using, as it fit her perfectly. The roses fragrance present in the background.

Her jaw fell open, discovering he had managed to have one of the three tables outside. The waiter wanted to push her chair, but Draco beat him in speed. Always the gentleman.

He started with a glass of champagne, and a toast with black caviar, "To us."

"To us, Draco." The glasses clinked. She bit into her cracker, smirking as it broke in more than two pieces, her free hand catching the bits. "Eating these with decorum is impossible."

He pushed the whole portion into his mouth, chewing much against the etiquette rules. He spoke with a full mouth, "Whadidyousay?"

She broke into a peal of laughter, "Oh Merlin, imagine what your father would say if he saw you!"

"My father? Hell, it's my mother I fear the most. If she has the opportunity, she's not shy of swatting my head you know? Instant punishment." Caviar might be the black gold, it was still not his favourite food. "If she couldn't, due to the company, her glare made me shiver…"

"How is she doing nowadays?"

"Recovering a step at a time. My father's release brightened her up in ways I couldn't. The old circles of society ditched us without leaving a note, while a day before the big battle, they would kiss the ground my parents walked on."

"Everywhere the same." She shook her head, drinking sips from her glass. That tiny piece of bread wasn't enough to prevent the alcohol's rise to the head, and she kept it leisurely until her stomach had more content.

"Nowadays, she's again invited to teas and other social gatherings. I'm not smoothing things over, what they did was wrong. But many of those old rags supported the Dark Lords ideas, they aren't holier than Merlin."

"Your father?"

"He's doing fine." The tone was much colder now. "We don't speak much."

"You did so much for him."

"He was my idol. I looked up to him, I wanted to be like him. A proud man that demanded respect by just breathing. Look at where it brought me." He flashed her his wrist.

"Hasn't Lucius learned his lesson?"

"Oh yes. Now the side he supported avidly turned out to be a big pile of dragon dung, he shows great remorse and wants to better his life." He had to look away, the rage not yet digested.

"You don't believe him?"

"Listen, Hermione. My father knows where the wind blows. Before, he followed that noseless bastard because he believed it would bring him more power. You and I know where it ended. Now he knows if he wants to survive and regain the reverence he once held, that he must change his tune. You know what they say about leopard and spots…"

"Do you still believe in the blood supremacy?"

"Are you bonkers? After I saw you bleed on my carpet? Your blood and mine are no different. You didn't steal your magic from a poor squib. Look at where I'm standing, Muggles invented boats, you fly… who's the superior race? One who needs a wand for everything but peeing? Or the one that finds a solution to almost every problem."

He was so passionate about his reasoning that any doubt was dead and buried. "We have quads… so much better than broomsticks."

"Don't exaggerate, witch." He gave her a look, "Not all your inventions surpass ours…" They chuckled, though not in agreement, "I need to take you on a real flight, make you change your mind."

"Not in a million years you don't." His _Macchi Koliwada_ , a spice crusted haddock with Mumbai Cesar salad arrived, together with her _Karara Kekda_ , crispy soft shell crab with a passion fruit chutney. As always both dishes were tested by the counterpart but remained with its primary owner.

"You're a witch, Mia," He whispered that last word, the waiter had returned with a basket of warm garlic bread, "I'm not saying you should use one of the newest Firebolts."

"Not even a Cleensweep, I don't like flying. The heights scare the bullocks out of me." She took the offered chunk of bread, testing if it paired well with her chutney.

"I tell you what. When we return home, I want you to give me a chance to show you how good it is to fly. To show you why I love it so much, beyond the speed." He went serious all of a sudden, this was the first mention to their lives outside the Arcadia. "See the beauty of the world from the sky. You know, I used to love flying in the early morning hours over the grounds of the Manor. It's when nature is at its most beautiful."

"You don't do it anymore?"

"It got soiled, and I lost the love I used to feel."

"It is your home." Her shoulders sagged, her spirit falling.

"Not anymore." His thumb brushed over her knuckles, "Your house stops being a home when evil incarnated leaves a trace in nearly every room. Mother has been refurbishing the whole building, new paint on the walls, new curtains. But the place where I grew up in has become a foreign residence." He shook the negative cloud away from his mind, it was also affecting her, and he hated it. "I moved into a nice penthouse for the time being. Astoria wanted to find a suitable house for a family, we looked into a few prospects, but luckily we didn't find one of both our interest."

"Any idea why?"

"Sure, our tastes diverge like night and day. She wanted a Manor-copy, grandeur being the keyword. I prefer a less pompous place. Yes, a garden with room to fly, if possible a little bit of water, but I don't need thirty rooms and as many bathrooms nor several wings. I hunger for cosy, homey. For now, the apartment fits me. What about you?"

"My parents home is a nice place to live, but it's full of memories. Remember I told you I had to obliviate them during the war? Their memories have been restored, however, they refuse to return. Their new lives suit them fine, and my mother is still cross with me for making such a decision without their approval."

"Where do they live now?"

"Brisbane, Australia."

"Are we docking there?"

"Yes, after Sydney."

"We can go visit them…"

"Rather not, the last time was not one of my favourites."

He laced their fingers, giving them a squeeze, "There's nothing wrong with trying to mend things. I'll come with you…" She uttered a denial. "No Hermione, we'll visit them. Whatever happens, I'll be next to you. I'm part of your life now, and I can do more than shag you into the mattress…"

She had to swallow the lump in her throat, thanking the wizards for the arrival of their main course. He let her be for a second, as the guilt drowned him. His side came with a cost in her life, no matter what he did, this was one thing money couldn't fix. If need be, he would tell her parents how big and justified her sacrifice had been. It's was a new life or being buried six feet under the ground if there was still a body to bury.

-oOo-

They forwent from dessert, choosing instead to stroll down the ship and enjoy the moonlight. On their path, a few couples had had the same thought, arms tangled in each other.

Draco stopped them at a randomly chosen spot. Moonlight played with her features, giving her a fairy look. Their next stop was on the big American continent, and he mentally added buying a camera to frame these moments. It shouldn't be hard to find the wizard community to purchase a magical one…

"Hermione." Her smile reached her eyes. _Had Astoria ever looked at him the same way?_ "I'm a lucky bloke, you know?" Both hands cradled her face, bringing her closer in slow motion, "I have the most beautiful witch at my side." His lips passed on the message he wasn't yet ready to speak out loud. Her mouth returned the feeling, while her heart was afraid to get ahead of things. Somehow, this wasn't something she wanted to ruin.

Not this time.

Not with him.


	17. Day Twenty-Three

**One: as always beta'ed by my angel Magzillasaurus xxx**

 **Two: It's incredibly busy for the moment, but I squeezed two minutes to publish this. As we say it in dutch: between the soup and the potatoes :) (Does English have its counterpart? In between things?), reward me with your warmest reviews :D**

 **Third: Disclaimer: I'm not responsible for hunger or thirst caused by this and other chapters! Consider it the side-effects of this fanfic, lol.**

* * *

 **Day Twenty-Three**

They say when you cruise under the Golden Gate Bridge of San Francisco, that it's one of the most exceptional travel experiences ever, as the bridge acts as the gateway to a fascinating city protected by the hills overlooking the bay.

Probably why the front on the ship was overloaded with passengers and Hermione in the front, squeezing Draco's hand full of excitement, "I read in a traveller's guide, that San Francisco is considered the city of hope or the city of what-the-fuck."

A blond eyebrow hid under the fringe, "What-the-fuck? You got my attention. Why?"

"It's full of contradictions, I guess. I read that each neighbourhood has its own personality and climate, there's this one-sided rivalry between Los Angeles and San Francisco; it seems that the SF'ers don't like LA, but LA loves SF."

"Do you know where the magical neighbourhood is?" Slowly the Arcadia turned towards the pier at Embarcadero, and he saw a hilly cityscape. Thank Merlin he had comfortable shoes for the climbs.

"I believe there will be a section at the port's office." She picked her wizarding travel guide, browsing to the correct section, "Yes, here." Her thumb pointed at the paragraph.

"Nice, I would like to head there, after our first activity."

"Why?" She gave him a quick look, returning her gaze to the stunning view.

"I want to buy a photo camera. We are navigating through amazing sceneries I want to show later to my mother without having to use a pensieve." He left the real reason aside, namely record Hermione's beautiful face.

"Alright, we're heading to that office as soon as we can." He could be a Hufflepuff, she thought for the nth time. "San Francisco has such charm!" She didn't wait for the anchoring to go downstairs but headed before the masses towards the exit. As always he followed her silently, enjoying her enthusiasm foremostly. "What's our first activity again, Draco?"

"The Segway thing you talked me into." As usual, they followed Perkins towards their tour guide. Between the butler and Draco, it was still cold war, but the man had backed down a little since he noticed how close the two had become.

"Oh, yes!" In the distance, she saw a row of Segways lined up and pointed them out. The giddy smile was contagious.

"Hello, I'm Nic, your guide for today!" A young man introduced himself in the American way, full of energy. Their group today had no familiar faces, as this activity actually required people in good health. Yesterday, Margaret and Henry confessed having interest in this venture, but Henry's hernia was the dampening issue that got in between.

"Alright, put on your helmets," Draco smirked, no longer alarmed by the required use. Instead, he felt the familiar excitement expecting daredevil moments ahead. The guide continued, "I'm going to explain the basics of driving one of these babies, but to be sure, is any of the ladies pregnant?"

Nothing but shakes of heads, though one or two men, looked wishfully at their counterparts. Draco was probably the third, _not on such short notice, but in the immediate future?_ He blinked even, looking away from her for a second, _am I getting ahead of things?_

The man was so kind as to explain why, "Not only it could be dangerous in case of a fall, more importantly, the Segway follows the movements of the body and a pregnant woman has a different balance point, certainly when further in the gestation." Bobs of agreement all around and a few tempers quickly cooling down. Hermione wasn't the only one to think that expectant women were treated like invalids.

"Well, as I said, Segways follow the movement of the body. You lean in, and this baby speeds up. You lean backwards, and it brakes." Nods confirmed understanding. "The steering is like a bicycle, nothing special about it. To be completely stationary, you keep your body upright and don't move a muscle. Very important if you're in the middle of a crossroad, waiting for the white man." Surprised frowns got an answer, "Yes, we will be using traffic lights and following bike routes where available, so please don't follow the regular traffic."

He motioned everyone to take a Segway, "Now, do a light tour here on the pier, before we start our actual tour. Get the hang of it. Drive, speed up and then brake by using your body." Slowly everyone moved, one very carefully - Hermione and a few ladies plus one single man; the others like Draco drove it as if they did nothing else in life.

It rubbed her slightly, his talent to be smooth, while she acted like a scared chicken with everything that moved. But her jealousy died a quick death, as he came to her and eased her out, helping her to gain confidence on this two-wheeler. It was the bike adventure but with reversed roles all over.

After twenty minutes, it was time to venture into the streets of San Francisco. Heading up, the pairs drove in a line towards Fisherman's Wharf, passing through a few other piers and the docking areas of the regular ferry. Draco kept close to her, though he wished she would just speed up a little more. Her pace was that of an old lady, he thought.

Yet, when they neared the Municipal Pier, even he was at a slow pace to enjoy the view. In the distance, Alcatraz island and on the opposite side, the Golden Gate Bridge they had just cruised under. Both amazing views.

"We'll pick up your camera, and we'll return here, this is a nice spot to start." She halted close to him, seeing the magic of a picture to show home. Start a photo album of them both, _why not?_

A whistle set the mass in movement, now all confident on their cool machine. Down the pier to the Aquatic Park, their guide stopped at interesting landmarks, waiting for the obligatory photo moments. Draco and Hermione simply took note of what was interesting to return to later.

Picturesque fishing harbours, the iconic cable cars and its turnaround point at Powell Street. This unusual place drew the attention of everyone, leaving even Hermione with her Muggleborn heritage open-mouthed. The cable car was manually turned around; as such vehicles can't go in reverse, the operators inverted the direction by turning it around with the help of a wooden platform.

The Little Italy area with a complimentary stop at Ghirardelli's. "Love, we are returning here to buy our stash of chocolate." Draco was sniffing the scents of the dark goody.

"I couldn't agree more!" In fact, their guide informed them that they had enough time to grab a sample, which the entire group didn't need to be told again. Nic stood outside, watching over the ten parked Segways, while everyone disappeared. In all his years of experience, five by now, not one soul stayed behind.

Apparently satisfied, his group returned with a smirk, continuing back to the Wharf and visiting the Maritime Museum, stopping at the SS Jeremiah O'Brien and USS Submarine Pampanito, both naval ships used during WWII and now turned into museums. The Liberty Ship was even one who partook in the Armada, during the invasion of Normandy.

"You'll have to explain to me later what this World War II is, Hermione. I feel there's much more story behind these two ships."

"Foremostly, much innocent blood was shed. Think about our war but exponentially bigger, deadlier. I'll show you later when I have photo material on hand." It forced her to stop and consider the differences. Instead of wands, giants, oversized snakes and deadly curses, mankind invented nuclear bombs, torpedos and guns of all sizes and shapes. But the madness was similar. The respect for life was even less existent. Concerning this point, there was not much difference between the magical world and the Muggle one, unfortunately.

Much time to think wasn't offered, as their tour had almost came to an end, joyriding between the sauntering tourists back to their starting point. Like the gentleman he was, Draco hopped quickly off of his Segway to help her step off of hers. However, the hand remained in his while they sought their way to the pier office, finding the special services for magical people easily.

Thanks to a hidden apparition point, they were inside the Wizarding Area in a jiffy. Though this alley had nothing on Diagon Alley's charm, it was more modern in looks, including the street lights and the over-decorated shop facades, Draco and Hermione decided to just buy the camera and return to Fisherman's Wharf, to revisit the places and take their memories home.

"Hermione, my dear. Your man here is getting hungry."

"Can I make a suggestion?" Batting her eyelashes, she pouted her lips in a way she knew he couldn't resist. Earlier, they had chanced upon this charming Italian place, with traditional checked tablecloths. It looked straight out of a movie, "It's not fine dining, but a cosy old fashioned place…"

"Take me there, I trust you to not let me starve." He wanted food, knowing she wouldn't take him somewhere nasty.

The place had also struck his eye earlier, with its picturesque outdoor views. After a little debate, they chose a table outside, to relax and enjoy aforementioned views.

He picked a clam chowder served in a sourdough bread bowl, being that last detail what captivated him, while Hermione went for the signature dish, Cioppinos. The rich tomato-based broth, filled with crab parts, mussels and other seafood, was served in a metal bowl with a ladle, a bib and a loaf of crusty bread.

Instead of eating their own meal, they joined the plates and ate from both, slurping from the chunk of bread dipped in the sauce or the chowder. The first picture on Draco's camera was one of him with a bib. He returned the favour, of course, he wasn't going down without dragging her along the embarrassment road. The server offered to take one of them together, and so it was cemented for the later generations the first pictures of them as a couple. One, smiling heads nicely against one another; one of her feeding him a piece of lobster, and, probably Draco's favourite, a kiss they shared while she was grinning against his lips.

They took pictures in turn. Mostly him, of her with spread arms on the highest point of the submarine, or while she wasn't paying attention, reading a panel with the explanation about the Liberty Ship, or with her nose nearly glued against a window, to understand the little description of one naval instrument. This was why he wanted this camera, though it became more than only memories. He wished to relieve the moments he truly enjoyed being in her company.

This journey on board the Arcadia was now full of unexpected surprises, aside from the astonishing destinations they visited. He had a completely different idea of what it held, and he wondered if Astoria knew what she gave up. Let her fuck her Arabian prince. He was the one who won the jackpot, in the end.

Their afternoon flew, Draco calculated that half of his film reel was already shot, and he was proud of his idea to buy a whole stash of them. They ate a pizza inside Ghirardelli Square, stopped by the Chocolate Factory Store to enjoy the Golden Gate Banana Split, where once again the battle was fought for most of the ice cream. Draco and bananas weren't the same love story like green apples were, in the end.

The cherry was stolen by him, and he held it between his teeth. Grabbing her by the neck, he brought her lips to him, kissing her with open mouth. Probing, her tongue came out to coax him into surrendering the pink goodness.

He chuckled and denied with a grunt.

Erecting a disillusionment charm, she created a little bit of privacy for them and licked his bottom lip. The grunt came from deep his throat, huskier. Spreading her lips wide, she closed her teeth around the cherry and plucked it free, chewing unabashedly while staring in his molten grey gaze.

The obvious swallowing was the drop. Hungry, he devoured her lips, tasting the sweetness of the cherry on her tongue.

It set her on fire, "We have one last tour left."

"I know." He cleared his throat, to gather his wits. Despite the protective shield, Draco considered it too vulgar to shove her hotpants aside and have his way, "How long?"

"It's a two hour trip on an open double deck bus."

"We're keeping the charm up, woman. I need to keep touching you." Her watch showed it was time to head over to the meeting point.

Taking places in the last seating row, Draco flicked his wand, and their lower bodies were now blurred to the outside world.

"Let me enjoy the view, Draco."

"It goes without saying." He sat curled around her, a leg over her knee, hand over her other knee, rubbing distractedly. The bus headed to their first stop driving through one the most iconic monuments in San Francisco, the lighted Golden Gate Bridge. It stilled him for the first part of a mile. Yet, soon he returned to his intent.

He kissed her softly on the neck, a few times interrupted as she took a picture of one of the towers. His hand drew circles on her thighs, rising up her leg and touching the apex lightly. Hermione shivered and set her hand on top of his to keep him steady. Away from the centre, "Draco not here."

"Nobody can see us, I promise." He spoke against the column of her throat.

"I want to enjoy this tour."

"Be my guest, I'm just smoothing the field." With his arm around her waist, pinned between her body and the seat, his other hand spread the fingers wide over her belly. Rubbing. Sneaking underneath her shirt, to caress the soft skin; the top of his thumb stroking the underside of her breast.

"I don't need smoothing." Her breath left her lips, shakingly.

He returned his attention to his wand, increasing the charm's reach so their companions would see him and his girl enjoying the view, even if at that time he made her moan from pleasure.

"Draco…"

"Let me play a little. Nobody will see a thing." He sensed her caving in. He might be a marshmallow in her hands, in return, when he pressed the right buttons, her self-control melted as fast as a cube of ice under a scorching sun.

Their two-minute stop for a photo, now they were on the opposite side of SF, gave her some room to breathe. He took a picture and returned to the bus with her in tow. Returning the same way, the bus took them through the Civic Centre with its lighted flags and fountains, the City Hall surroundings and the Union square, towards the other famous bridge, Bay Bridge. Their last photo stop would be on Treasure Island.

Yet, not much was retained by Hermione. Often she closed her eyes, feeling overloaded by the sensations his fingers fired into her system. The ghosting over her taut nipples, the brushing over her core through the denim of her shorts or under her knickers after releasing the button and lowering the zipper.

The licking or the biting of her neck or earlobe. It drove her nuts, and it surprised her how he still functioned among the rest of the group without giving anything away; once they stepped out of the bus for the last photo stop. His erection was, however, concealed behind the same disillusionment charm, counting down until it was time to be freed and allowed to delve inside her slick walls.

Draco enjoyed the view, but foremostly, feeling her squeeze under his attention.

-oOo-

The Arcadia came into sight.

Hermione sighed in relief, but instead of following the group into the ship, she was pulled behind the bus and side-apparated into his room.

Shirts were pulled over heads, shorts pushed down the legs, he hoisted her up against the door, entering in one swift move without asking for permission.

In return, she bit hard on his shoulder, pulling his hair so that it made him hiss and thrust harder into her. Fingers brushed over her rear entrance, flicked over the clit, a palm against the door, pinning curly tresses in between.

No words, only grunts, moans and hisses. Some openly shouted out, others consumed between parted lips. One tensed and bucked, squeezing his cock tightly between her folds, the other pushed through to bring her over the wall. Shattering his own gloriously at the same time.

Breaths mingled in short exhales, one swallowed, the other kissed a cheek exhausted. Legs released the vice hold around his hips, to find steady ground. Finding a pair of shorts in its way, in a pool of fabric still around his ankles. Hermione chuckled, "You're one of a kind, Draco."

"It's all your fault." Taking a few paces of distance, he ditched the annoying garment with a mindless kick, seeking her knickers between the other mountain of clothes. He sought a shirt for both, pulled a pair of silken trunks and once she was decently covered, Draco guided her to their balcony, sitting against the rest of his canopy and setting her between his legs. "Let us enjoy a little of San Francisco by night."

"Oh, how gracious of you. We crossed amazing sightings, Mr. couldn't hold back on his libido." Her retort was full of fake ire, knowing too well that she could have stopped him at any point, but chose not to. Tonight was one of the first overnight stays at the port, so there was always tomorrow to revisit what she might have missed.

Although, her mind refused to give her suggestions. Instead, it kept playing over and over again all the naughty things he did. If anyone could see her now...


	18. Day Twenty-Four

**I have this annoying flu but still didn't want to skip your Tuesday's update. My comfort will come from reading your thoughts about this chapter, they work better than any painkiller. My Magzillasaurus beta'ed this for you.**

* * *

 **Day Twenty-Four**

Today's excursion was not an activity both looked forward to in the same way. Draco actually dreaded one of the two destinations but didn't want to let her go alone, keeping his dreadful thoughts to himself.

A ferry departing from pier 33 would bring them to Alcatraz Island and visit the famous prison. Draco had seen the prison from afar already, the stone bunker in the middle of the sea while he stood on Monumental Pier.

She was entirely l enthusiastic about this place, reading the traveller's guide from head to toe, naming facts and dates, notorious residents and so much more. His head, however, replayed the memories of his short imprisonment at Azkaban non-stop, waiting for his trial. In the end, his stay was short, only five days, but long enough to leave scars behind.

Scars that threatened to disturb his peace, to cloud the pleasure he wanted to experience. With the intention not to ruin her enjoyment, he shut up and set up a mask.

The fifteen-minute ferry ride took them to the island, now recognised as a national park, and in the midst of it, the massive fort that first served as a military garrison, then a military prison and at last a museum, the notorious prison, according to Hermione, home to several high-profile prisoners and background to many movies.

As they climbed off the ferry, the first thing they encountered was actually the building that first served as an outpost and later as flats for the guards and their families.

Hermione helped Draco with his audio guide and from there, loads of information about the place was given, although he had heard quite a bit already from her.

That first part, the view of the gardens, didn't pose any trouble but the closer they came to the concrete reinforced prison, the more his stomach churned. Calling every ounce of courage, he tried to subdue his fear, barely looking into the narrow cells with their bed, sink, toilet and a little table with a seat.

The comparison to the filthy cubicle he inhabited for five days was enormous if he was honest. He stayed inside a little room, with a hole in the wall that allowed a ray of the sun inside, and a bucket for his basic needs. The tiny cell inside this fortress was, compared to Azkaban, a luxury.

Still, it gave him the fucking shivers, to the point that he turned off the audio guide and stopped listening to the day-by-day retelling of an inmate about the twenty-hour stay inside the cell, only allowed freedom to eat and once a week a walk outside, between the walls of the exercise yard.

But when they approached solitary, he balked.

"Draco?"

"I can't do this, I need to go outside. Forgive me." Walking against the current of tourists, he sought the shortest way out.

He felt her hand on his shoulder turning his body towards her, "Talk to me, what's happening?"

"Azkaban."

"Oh, shit, I'm sorry. I can be such a moron." In no time, he was enveloped by her arms, nudging his head against her neck. "Why didn't you tell me? We could have done something else instead." Hermione held him tighter, responding to the way he hung on to her. "Draco, you gotta be open with me, you promised, remember?"

"I wanted to try…" Despite his efforts, there was no way he could stop the trembling.

"No, Draco. This is not how we'll go on." She took his face between both hands, forcing him to face her, "It's not because we are a couple that you have to do everything I want. I appreciate the gesture, but what good does it to you, to subject yourself to possible triggers just to accompany me during these trips?"

He frowned deeply, closing his eyes, tormented.

"Draco, look at me." It took her three nudges before he complied. "Hell, give me a minute." She moved away, marching towards their guide who waited by the entrance, "At what time will the bus be waiting for us at the Pier?"

"We schedule a two-hour visit here, Madam. At eleven thirty, the bus will leave Pier 33 towards Sausalito." The man scratched underneath his cap.

"If we take the next ferry back…"

"If you're not at the meeting point, we'll leave without you, Madam. I can't keep the group waiting for you, Miss, I'm sorry."

"Don't worry, my boyfriend and I will be there." She met with Draco, took him by the hand towards the ferry terminal.

"Hermione, it's okay, I'll wait outside. Go finish your tour." He urged her to return inside.

"If you think that I can enjoy it while you're out here in this state, then you don't know me at all." The audio guides were returned, and the last few yards were done running, so they didn't miss the ferry that was about to leave the terminal.

Back at the mainland, she laced her fingers with his and guided him toward Ghirardelli's and used the best medicine she knew to brighten someone's spirit, chocolate.

The waitress served the two a hot chocolate and a milk chocolate bunny. Hermione broke a chunk, offered it to his mouth and cast a muffliato around their table. "Remus always said this was the best remedy against Dementors. Will you talk to me, Draco?"

"Being inside that prison, the memories came back to me. Being incarcerated, in that forsaken place. Barely any daylight, only screams and cold." The sunny day couldn't fight the shivers he still felt, but the hot drink offered some comfort between his palms.

She sipped from hers carefully, blowing a little to cool it off, "How long did they keep you there?"

"Only five days before the trial." He spoke between munching on the brown goodie, briefly noticing how this immobile version of a bunny was so much easier to devour. "To avoid us fleeing justice, they said…"

Hermione seized a hand around the cup to caress it while waiting for more.

"Me, my mother, my father. We were kept in separate wings, _this way you can't align statements,_ they said. What was there to adjust? We supported the noseless bastard, my father wore his mark proudly, I had no other choice but to follow his path. I was the one who poisoned the mead Weasley drank, the one who nearly killed Katie with the cursed necklace meant for Dumbledore."

"Yet, you did it under duress, something Harry and I acknowledged. We spoke on your behalf because we believe that, while you were a prat back in the day, you're not evil." The bunny was gone, his hot chocolate was half drunk.

"Hermione, can we go somewhere more private?"

After a moment, they found a spot under a tree, nearby the meeting point. She sat against the trunk and patted the spot between her legs, surrounding his frame with her arms as soon as he sat. The disillusionment charm was raised in seconds.

"I'm sorry they put you in there, Draco. The display of unnecessary force was only a ruse to show the world they could impose safety. Trying to mask their own failure. Once more, you were used as the scapegoat." She spoke against the top of his head, blaming herself once again for her stupid decision. Hermione knew that the Malfoy's had been arrested, but at the time she didn't give it a thought - she and Draco weren't on speaking terms during that period - to keep the event in the back of her head.

"I can hear you ruminate, Hermione. Don't beat yourself, I thought I could handle it, it's not your fault." She gave him the room to nestle closer to her bosom when he shifted in her arms. Her heartbeat under his ear grounded him back to the present.

"Draco, listen, when we choose stuff to do, I want you to be honest with me." Her fingers shoved a few tresses away from his eyes, before playing with his scruff. "We do things together if we both agree; otherwise you go to one, I do the other, and at night we tell each other how fun it was."

"I want to do stuff with you." The pang of being alone resurfaced, stupidly enough.

"Tell me, what if I wasn't on board? Would you remain on the ship the entire time?"

"No, but you are here now, love. Remember that we actually chose the same things, in the first few days?"

"I haven't forgotten it. Yet, I could have done Alcatraz alone today while you did something else." She nudged his chin up, "Where's my independent bloke?"

"I guess you have a point though, though, in my defence, I like to spend time with you. You're a well of knowledge, I wouldn't know half of what I'm looking at."

"Well, Alcatraz is a fortress that many tried to escape but failed." Hermione went into lecturing mode, smirking. Out of her bag, she picked up the traveller's guide to show him more pictures. "According to this page, thirty-six tried, twenty-three failed and were re-captured, eight died either by a bullet or by drowning, and five are presumed dead, or perhaps they did escape."

"In Azkaban, aside from the Dark Lords intervention, none." Somehow, she succeeded in partially chasing away the dark clouds.

-oOo-

The bus ride towards Sausalito happened in silence. His arm around her frame, her head against his shoulder. The mood had improved slightly, yet this morning's event left a mark on their spirit.

Though she knew she wasn't to blame for the incident, a little nagging thought kept playing in her mind. It could have been avoided, if one, he had told her about it, and two, if she had remembered it. Mentally, she took note to bug him to consider any eventualities with later excursions. This would not happen again.

The tour guide gave a quick run-through, "We'll bring you to the central point, the Bridgeway, where we'll pick you up again in two hours. I strongly advise taking a look at the houseboat havens, or a leisurely shopping trip down the many art galleries on Princess Street and its hidden Princess Court. It's now 12 o'clock, we will leave by two p.m. For those who wish to do so, of course. There's a ferry towards SF every hour and a half, and it takes thirty minutes to cross the bay."

"The boat is leaving at six." Hermione calculated, extending her arm for a question, "Sir, what time should one take the ferry in order to be on time for the departure of the Arcadia at six o'clock?"

"There's one that leaves at quarter to five and arrives at the pier quarter past five."

"Thank you." She left the bus after her wizard, "At least we know our deadline." The bus actually left them halfway up Bridgeway and with the wizarding map in hand she conferred with Draco. "To the left, we have the houseboat havens, it's sightseeing only, houses floating on the water, yet something we're not used to in the UK." Hermione pointed out to another corner, "Here is Princess Street, near the terminal. We can use this apparition point here and here to visit both places because it's a two-mile walk, easily a half hour by foot."

"What do you want to do?"

"No, wrong question. What is _your_ preference?" She was done for today with deciding for them.

"At this moment? Whatever." He knew it was the wrong answer immediately, "Take me to those floating homes." He sighed, "Then lets eat something, my stomach is waking up."

"Fine." Hooking his arm, she took him to the nearest apparition point and whisked them to the furthest place to start.

The sight was unusual indeed. Floating homes, each with colourful facades looked out at the bay, both wondering how they kept steady at all times. Not even Hermione had an answer to that one. Yet, after taking a photo, they were glad they didn't skip this picturesque sight.

A crack later, they found themselves near a big restaurant also praised by Hermione's book and the guide on the bus alike, the Barrel House Tavern. Draco spotted a table near the water and commandeered it, without a word.

"California has amazing wines," Hermione strangely enough started with the beverages. She wanted to eat something light, just to quiet the hunger, "I'm into a tuna melt sandwich, how about you?"

"Something light too, I guess the grilled flat iron steak sandwich fits me." The waitress stood next to him, flashing him her Colgate smile, "That and a bottle of your _Sauvignon Blanc._ " The menus were returned with an annoyed look. He didn't have the energy to deal with flirting women who conveniently ignored his caressing hand over Hermione's.

Despite his efforts, he ate only half of his sandwich, it tasted like sawdust in his mouth. The wine offered a refreshing feel on the tongue, but he watched over how much he drank. If alone, he would have knocked off the whole bottle, drowned his nightmares with a good dose of alcohol. Yet, Hermione's presence forced him to control his urges.

Draco was less talkative during lunch, and throughout the stroll after that, down the art galleries on Princess Street. She tried to keep it light, pointing out funny paintings or scrimshaw engravings, "I'm not fond of those. According to the book, they are made from ivory bones or teeth from whales. I find them creepy, even if the carvings are a piece of art."

"Are you one of those animal lovers?" He shared her opinion about the creepiness of these items, the wooden bowls, a little further along, were more of his taste.

"I don't wear real fur, nor dragon-hide shoes, Draco. Killing an animal for luxury items isn't my cup of tea, and yes, I know you like to wear those."

"Duly noted. Scrap luxury items from my wardrobe. No more dragon-hide boots, nor snakeskin, no more mink fur coats…"

"Do you eat mink? Or snake?"

"No."

"My point exactly." She eyed him.

Not in the mood to enter into a discussion about whether or not to use real fur for personal use, he refrained from commenting further.

He approached a table full of wooden bowls, fingering the rough edges of a burl bowl.

An older man approached and explained, "While the wood is still wet, the artist turns it into a bowl, curing the wood, before it gets finishing turning, burnishing and waxing. This one here is from boxelder maple with bark and birds eyes. The artist studies the grain before he shapes his work, searching for hidden beauty."

Draco listened quietly, only nodding at times.

"A gift for your mother, perhaps?" Hermione murmured, "Do you think she would like it?"

"She likes handicraft. In her study, she has a number of African Masks, collected from their journeys before the whole Dark Lord shit went down." He studied the sturdy bowl closer, feeling its weight, "Do you like it?"

"I see its charm, look at the veins, there aren't two alike. I love the mix of colours, dark wood with lighter spots. I wouldn't know what to do with one of these, but if you say your mother likes original art, I think it will be a nice gift."

The vendor suggested, "We can wrap it in, so it remains intact during the rest of your journey." The older man deducted they might be one of the many cruise tourists, and gave Draco a genuine smile, as the blond accepted the offer. Not many tourists bought a bowl worth five-hundred dollars so quickly, without asking for some kind of discount.

"The man expected a bargaining customer," Hermione commented later, as they walked back to the bay.

"Argue with a man for ten quids less? It was worth its value, I bet an item like this in Diagon Alley would cost twice its price."

She felt he wasn't up to much more strolling, and lead him back to the ferry, arriving one-hour earlier than their deadline.

-oOo-

Back on their ship, she suggested a swim, but he declined, "You go, Hermione. Don't be angry but I could use some time alone."

"Draco…"

"I need to gather my thoughts together. Go, seek Margaret and ask for an update on the gossip. I'll rest here in the lounger."

"I'll pick you up for dinner."

"Yeah, that's fine…"

-oOo-

Hermione worried loads about him, especially when he softly forced her to grab a bite without him because he didn't feel hungry. Instead of abiding by his wishes, she spent the rest of the day inside her balcony, reading a book without retaining a word. She respected him enough to allow him a moment of solitude. God knew she needed those, from time to time.

For dinner, she ordered the granola, smiling softly at the memory when he called it bird food. Not much later, she returned to his room, to find a dark space and a sleeping wizard holding his pillow as an anchor.

She snaked between both, pulling him against her chest and engulfing him in her arms. Alcatraz brought the memories of Azkaban back, and she could feel him tremble, but not from the cold. Hermione whispered that he was safe, no one would hurt him anymore, and after a moment of silence, she admitted out loud, "I love you, Draco."

But it didn't do much more than soothe a little of his shivers. In the end, she fell asleep.

-oOo-

Hermione woke up, alarmed.

Draco whimpered, "No, please, take me out of here!" Thrashing around with his legs, unwillingly hitting her in the process.

"Draco! Wake up, love. You're with me, we're on board the Arcadia. Draco, open your eyes!" Hands caressed his hair, his cheeks, a soft kiss on his mouth.

He buried his face in the crease of her neck, leaving wet trails against her skin, hugging her so tightly she barely had room to breathe.

"I'm so sorry, Draco. I regret so much going there, you should have told me, love. You should have told me." She tasted salty tears when he kissed her deeply. Her palm dried the traces, thumb rubbing circles on his cheek, accepting the weight of his body as he leaned half over her.

His fingers fumbled with the nighty she wore, "I want to feel your skin."

In one move, she pulled it over her head, taking his shirt off just as quickly. He curled around her, holding tight, face resting against her naked breasts.

His nightmare might have been scared away, his pain became hers. Even after all these years, the scars from the war weren't forgotten. Merely ignored, waiting for a trigger to hit back in full force. She had given a place to hers, he clearly hadn't.

"Draco." Empty eyes stared back, a look she hated to witness, "Draco, your pain is my pain. Don't shove me away again, I want to be there for you."

She pushed him onto his back, kissing him gently while straddling him. She showed him with caresses, soft kisses and strokes how much she cared for him. His mouth, his jaw, his throat and collarbone. Draco looked back at her impassively, recovering from the vivid nightmare from minutes before. Although he flexed his abs as her tongue traced the shape of his nipples, first one then the other.

"You don't have to." It came out rasped. "Just hold me."

"No, I'll show you how much I love you. This time it's not for me. It is for you." He froze, not expecting her words, yet it didn't stop her. Lowering between his spread legs, she undid his trunks, caressed his half erect member and took him in her mouth, feeling him harden further the longer she sucked him. Licking his head, flattening her tongue down his length and returning to the top again.

"Hermione..."

"Shh, relax and enjoy." Her hand caressed his balls, stroked the spot right behind it, while her mouth did wonders on his shaft, if she went by his grunts.

A hand stroked her clit to prepare herself for the next part, a finger entering her channel, quickly followed by a second. Happy with her slick digits, she rose to her knees, straddled him once more and lowered onto his cock, hissing at the incredible feeling every time he stretched her for the first time.

She pumped slowly, feeling the muscles of her upper thighs flexing at every movement. His hands sought hers, squeezed, and pulled her closer, "Repeat it, Hermione."

"I love you, Draco." His name half consumed in his mouth, when he lost control and kissed her passionately. She kept rocking slowly, delighting in the feeling of his hardness inside her core.

"Oh fuck. I love to hear you say the words, Hermione. I love you too, witch. Damn, I love you so much." Seeking more friction, he met her with a powerful thrust from beneath, over and over again, while repeating the little three words non-stop. His arms snaked around her back, holding her so tight against his chest that there was no room for air.

"Draco…" She whimpered, feeling that sensation gathering in her belly. But, this time her release wasn't imperative. It was showing him how much she cared and felt for him. For this fantastic man that entered her pussy at a maddening pace. He sought comfort and love, she gave him all she had to offer.

She felt him tense, his cock cumming inside her, his groans floating into the air from deep within.

Lost between the earlier despair and the discovery she did reciprocate his feelings, Draco held on to her as if she was his personal lifeline.

"You didn't come." He ran his fingers through her curls, a few times getting trapped in a few knots he detangled gently.

"It wasn't my intention. It wasn't for me, I wanted to bring the spark back to your eyes, I hate to see them so empty." The places were reversed, it was now she who curled around his body.

"Let me…"

Her hand stopped him, "Thank you, but I'm good. Being intimate with you was enough. Get me off another time, but tonight, I wanted to make you feel." Her arm squeezed his chest tighter. "I love you."

"I love you more."

"Impossible." His tired eyes were shining again, just the way she wanted.

"White flag. We love each other equally."

"Now we're talking." Hermione felt him kiss her hair, before closing in for a sweet kiss. "Sleep well, Draco."

"Dream of me, love."

* * *

To my lovely guestreviewer Sara: thank you for your kind and warm support, I'm really happy to hear you're enjoying my story, kudos :)


	19. Day Twenty-Five to Twenty-Seven

**I've gotta say, not only I have an amazing beta angel, my dear Magzillasaurus, I also have the most adorable reviewers in the world of fanfic. Your well-wishes and well-meant messages are a blessing, though I feel crappier these last few days.**

 **This chapter should be a roller-coaster of emotions, smutty, fluffy/emo, funny. Tell me please if I'm right ;)**

* * *

 **Day Twenty-Five to Twenty-Seven**

 **Day Twenty-Five**

He slept like he did on one of those nights, waking up every hour or so did it seem, the alarm clock flashing the red-lit time every hour. A time or two, he felt the panic return, the increasing of his breathing, the tensing of his muscles. A copy of the dark nights he spent in the aftermath of the war.

Curiously, Hermione had crawled closer, slamming a leg possessively over his and, unconsciously, calming his nerves.

Before he fell asleep again - to wake shortly after once more - Draco filled his time with watching her sleep. How her right cheek pulled into a smile. How she inhaled in small spurts, to release a long breath that tickled his skin. Or the way her nails played with the tuft of blond chest hair, a habit she had acquired following the post-coital bliss.

Either way, her presence grounded him in a way no one had before. Just as her three little words did, the first time in his life he heard them full of genuine intention.

Yes, Pansy had uttered them once or twice, during their teenage romance, but it meant as much as the ones he returned after a shag behind an alcove or inside a cupboard. A shallow declaration.

Astoria, for instance, never said them, under the pretence he had to say them first. But he couldn't declare a feeling he didn't possess. He didn't love the Greengrass girl at that point. Saying he loved her would have been a lie he didn't want to utter, and his future wife deserved better.

The question which remained now was: how strong were those feelings?

The answer was: growing every day.

Hermione brightened his days. She comforted him when he felt the lowest. She undoubtedly aroused him with a wicked smile, or basically a simple wiggle of her hips.

He was going to use the remaining seventy days to determine the place she occupied in his life. He didn't question what an asset she was as a partner. Never dull, always challenging. Hermione wouldn't let him get away with his shit, no sir. She would use decent reasoning to call him out or win an argument, compared to the emotional blackmail or the hysterical smashing of whatever one of his former witches found for grabs.

On the other hand, she did abort her visit because she worried about him. Had his mother ever stayed at home and changed her plans, when he fell sick? Not to mention As-fucking-toria and her irritation, because he disturbed her night's sleep with one of his nightmares.

No, the last thing he wanted to fuck up was what they had. The muggleborn he despised at first, turned out to be a precious gem. One he feared losing.

-oOo-

Stretching like a kitten, she woke up to a pair of grey eyes staring at her, dark rings marking his lack of rest. The room was bathed in the early morning sun, giving his hair an ethereal glow.

He didn't speak a word. Nor did he smile.

Instead, he united their lips tenderly, lingering; shifting then to kiss each eyelid, the tip of her nose, her mouth again and lower through the chin down the column of her neck and ending the path at her collarbone.

No spot went overlooked. The only noises were their intakes of breath and the shifting of his body against the bedsheets.

Hermione didn't move a muscle, aside from her hand remaining on the top of his head; his need clearly showing through the worshipping. Yes, worshipping. There was no other word to describe more precisely what he did to her. Caresses, open mouth kisses, no inch was neglected, some overly praised by fingers and lips.

Draco hid his face in the valley of her bosom, before shifting his focus on the taut nubs, kneading the mound and sharing his attention evenly. Satisfied, he moved on to the lower region, stroking the soft skin of her belly, rubbing the planes under the navel as if something grew in there. It counted as wishful thinking, without question.

Skipping the apex altogether, he shifted to the very end and revered her feet, kissing toe per toe, the top of her foot, down the ankle, and leaving a wet trail up her thigh till it met her hip, starting all over again on the other leg.

Hermione had never experienced something so erotic as the nibbling on the foot, or the ghostly feeling of fingers approaching her centre. It speeded up her breath, made her jerk of need for touch, but she refused to ask. Instead, she let him set the pace.

Alternatively, Draco massaged her thighs after he summoned a small bottle of body cream, courtesy of the Arcadia hospitality. The flowery scent was a nice addition to his sensual rubbing of her skin. A vigorous passage of knuckles was alternated by a softer stroke in reverse. Always nearing the ever-wetting core, but leaving it untouched.

"Draco." The massage was slowly turning into torture, there was only so much she could bear before it drowned her.

Honestly, she didn't know that grey eyes could spit fire. But it looked as such, once he stared at her with so much intensity it tensed her core thus powerfully, the trails of wetness running down her thighs, consequently.

Hands spread her legs, the thumbs simultaneously opening her nether lips and exposing a clenching entrance. His pointer tested the waters by dipping inside, her walls so sleek that they barely offered any resistance. Without leaving her eyes for one minute, Draco replaced the forefinger by the two middle digits and launched a high paced attack, driving her nuts, while her hips jerked from the bed.

Hermione was a mess of mewling and thrashing, head back, stretching her neck which begged to be licked, "Fuck...hmm...Drac-..."

Rotating between thrusting his fingers inside her walls and rubbing the engorged clit, he kept tormenting her pussy, "First, You'll squirt, and I will sip your juices," he switched into curling his fingers at her entrance, pressing the exact point that drove her crazy, "Then you'll cum on my fingers…" Hermione squirmed under the assault, unable to keep her eyes open from the jolts of fire down her spine. "After that, I'll fuck your quim until it milks my cock so hard that it will flood you with my jizz. Consider it a foretaste, for when I'll conceive my son in your womb."

His words so close to her ear intoxicated her, his tongue barely licking her clit or she squirted on his fingers, just like he promised her. Draco lapped all she had to give, chucking huskily against her skin. Yet, he didn't stop for a breather. He sucked and licked, fingers continuing to delve in her warmth until she clenched around them, screaming her orgasm out. He rode her waves out for a second, trading his fingers for his shaft and sliding in and out at slow pace.

Hermione panted, body fully flushed. Her hand pulled his face towards her, kissing him brutally in gratitude. Draco leaned forward, supporting his weight on his arms and stared down when they broke apart, to where their bodies were joined, watching his glistening cock enter and retreat entirely from her core. He teased her unrelenting, neglecting the digging heels in his arse. Her nipples were licked, bitten, and laved, her neck receiving pretty much the same treatment.

Draco was a man on a mission, focused on bringing her once more over the edge. His own pleasure secondary to hers, once more a new step in his life. He didn't matter. She did. And he showed her the only way he physically could. With reverence.

Her hair was glued to her forehead from perspiration, her breath left her parted lips in short puffs. It was impossible to form words, somehow her _fucks_ and _oh gawd's_ stoking halfway her throat. Only one deep moan rang through his ears when she cumed as he intended, milking his cock dry, that jerked inside her core from the powerful spurts of seed.

Draco crashed on top of her, pressing her onto the mattress with his weight, grunting with the last streams of his release. Hermione wrapped arms and legs around him, encasing him tighter against her body. It was one of those peaks you feel from the top of your toes over your entire being. One she seldom experienced and left her bone dry. Overwhelmed.

Draco lifted his head, surprised to feel traces of tears on his face. He asked concerned, "Did I hurt you?"

"No." She couldn't say more, choosing instead to kiss him in devotion.

"Love, why are you crying?"

She shook her head, pushing his face against the curve of her neck and hugging him fiercely. He complied, understanding that speaking was impossible for the moment. Instead, he revelled in the feeling of her hands rubbing his back, the legs that refused to let him slide to the side and release her from his weight. The stroking so hypnotising that he fell asleep in her arms. She was, after all, his safe haven.

-oOo-

They spent the entire day inside his room, ordering room service rather than leaving their quarters.

She confessed a while later that his worshipping of that morning had been the first of its kind. Squirting happened seldom, and combined with multiple orgasms was a thing she only read about in erotic novels. But the part of feeling overwhelmed was kept to herself.

He puffed proudly, mentally planning to make it a recurrent happening from now on.

In return, he told her she grounded him during his nightmares last night, keeping the worst of them at bay.

If anything else, their visit to Alcatraz and its consequences made them grow closer.

Day Twenty-Six

They joined the galley tour in the morning, meeting Donald and Helen unexpectedly. The older man was a retired cook and explained to Draco the why's and how's of such a busy kitchen. There were at least thirty people inside that space, one for every imaginable task, from a specific vegetable, to a particular sauce or cracking eggs for the breading of crunchy chicken.

It seemed like the kitchens of Hogwarts with muggles instead of irritated house-elves, who looked accusingly at the intruding blond wizard who came to steal another muffin, outside the dinner hours.

Some of the staff never noticed their passage, remarked Draco. It made his stealing a little easier, as he munched on a cut carrot, copying Hermione's stance.

Needless to say that their lunch consumed in the Meridian, was one paid with more respect for the crew.

-oOo-

The rest of the day was spent lying lazily on a lounger, dipping in the pool when the sun felt too hot on their skin. Draco tuned out the non-stop chatting of the ladies at his other side, thanking the wizards that be, that his girl wasn't one to talk his ears off.

A source of entertainment was watching her face react to what she read on her book. Hermione smiled, frowned, bit her lip, sighed, and blushed when it came to a more intense passage. He deduced that much because Hermione would bring the book closer to her face, as if she was afraid someone would read along.

It brought him to ideas; the thoughts accidentally ill-timed as his body reacted a little too noticeably. His little problem forced him to take a quick dive in the cooling water. Not that the issue vanished just like that, of course. His mind kept planning a role-play of whatever she read. He could only breathe smoothly again when he spotted an early acquaintance of his, one of the older women with the fake teeth and boobs who winked at him and patted next to her lounger invitingly.

Man, did he return to his own seat in a jiffy .

Day Twenty-Seven

The day was spent again lazily at the pool, after a good rub of Hermione's sunscreen on his skin. He surprised her with the amount of pizza he could consume, considering his build, to be precise his whole pizza and half of hers.

"Princess, I need my strength, I have a very demanding woman in my bed…"

She rolled her eyes, "Oh boy. My buzzing friend only asks for new batteries."

"I'm curious about this friend of yours, you haven't introduced us yet."

The smirking coming from his left made him blush.

Louise looked over him to Hermione and winked more than obviously, "Don't show it, darling. It's your back-up plan for when your blond Adonis here needs recharging. Can you imagine if this ship runs out of pizza?"

There was one thing Draco wasn't going to miss, once the cruise was finished. The sassy remarks of the older bats. They only taught Hermione the wrong stuff, damn it.

"Louise, I must agree. Duracells can be found everywhere." Another joke at his dispense, this time one he didn't even understand. Who the hell was Duracells?

-oOo-

"Well, Dragon of mine, what does the prince desire to do in Honolulu?"

"Ask your Duracells."

She groaned, snatched his arm and apparated into her bedroom, shoving the blond on her bed, "You prat, here." She passed him her intimate silver friend, "Draco, meet Mr Buzz, my vibrator."

He turned the phallic shape in his hands, "What does this do?"

"It vibrates." She turned the wheel in the end, turning on the buzzing. He almost let it fall, startled, and she rolled her eyes, "Are you afraid it will bite?"

"I see no teeth. What do you do with it?"

"Well, which version do you wish? The shortcut variant or the graphic one?" She took the Arcadia booklet into her hands, opening the section about Hawaii. "Look, this is all they have to offer, we have an overnight stay again." She smiled, "I hope they welcome us with grass-skirted hula dancers!"

"Give me first the graphic version of this silver thing, explain then what are grass-skirted hula dancers." Draco turned the wheel from off position, to the low setting, high and off again. "Hmm, interesting."

"Oh boy." She flushed, "Hula dancers wiggle with their hips and wave their arms, it's a traditional dance typical for Hawaii." Hermione tried to take the vibrator away from his hands, regretting showing the bloody thing to him in the first place. Draco refused to hand it back, it was an interesting toy, by all means.

"Is it that picture on the top right?" She nodded, and he enquired, "Now, your Mr. Buzz…"

"It vibrates as you felt it." The brunette browsed through the pages, hoping he would be satisfied with the explanation. Describing how she masturbates, had her blushing in a second.

"Hermione, what do you do then?"

"I hold it...against me…"

"Against where exactly? Your knickers? Or your clit? Do you thrust it into your pussy?" She nodded at every suggestion, and he couldn't hide his surprise; his eyes widening in astonishment. "Show it to me."

"Not now. I want to go to the quiz with the ladies, it starts at three."

"Is the length of this thing supposed to mimic the size of a man's dick?" _Damn, these Muggles, if Blaise knew…_

"Give it back, please."

"No, I'm keeping it. We'll experiment tonight. Who's Duracell?"

The shortest way to tell him was by showing it. "These are the batteries that power up Mr. Buzz and basically a bunch of other things, like flashlights, radio's..."

"This has electricity inside?" Hermione could figuratively see his brain ruminating. A new world opened, and he was not only curious to see, but also to know how it functioned. In the end, they were so similar to each other.

"Something like that. Duracell is a famous brand and we call it, just like you know by mentioning the Firebolt that we're talking about broomsticks." As if she was bitten by a bee, Hermione rose to her feet, "It's time for me to go meet the ladies. See you at the pool later?"

He nodded, touching the poles of the battery. "Have fun, love. We'll continue our conversation when you return." His witch might be a passionate thing in bed, but some subjects embarrassed her, and he also loved to bring that side to light. Snatching the silver object in his hand, he went to his room and subjected it to further inspection.

-oOo-

Mr. Buzz held three batteries inside and thanks to one, he knew how to shove the two others in place screwing the lid closed.

Turning the wheel again, he was satisfied to see it work still.

Next part, feel the sleek structure and its pointy end. At first, it felt cold in his hands but soon it warmed up to his skin.

"Is this thing really shaped after the size of a dick?" He blinked, pursing his lips, eyed the object, then his crotch, back to the silver thing. _Thank Merlin, I'm alone and she won't see what I'm about to do…_

-oOo-

Hermione found him whistling stretched on a lounger at the Aquarius outside pool, surrounded by his new friends, the grandpa's club as she called them.

"We won!" By lack of free space, she shoved his legs aside and sat at the end of the sunbed, "We got a voucher for a free cocktail before dinner."

"Congratulations, princess. Always the know-it-all I adore."

"You used to hate my swotty brain."

"Well, you can't blame me. Your brain stood in the way of my title for the best student of Hogwarts every year." He kissed the tip of her nose.

His answer brightened her features even more, "Have you taken a look at the booklet about our next port?"

"Oh, definitely. Without you, I have no idea what a submarine is nor what form of animal a helicopter is supposed to be. So instead, I chose the hiking, it's been a while since we've done an intensive escapade."

"Well, I'll explain all about it, while we shower before dinner."

"Don't forget you promised me a graphic version of Mr. Buzz, an in-depth tutorial." The older ladies burst of laughter, and he winked conspiratorily. "Your little friend and I had a little chat this afternoon, you see?"

It was her turn to walk away with red ears, under the appraising cheers. For once, he had the upper hand.


	20. Day Twenty-Eight

**I can't promise I'll be able to update Thursday. The body is not cooperating with the mind, does any of you have a Pepper-Up potion?**

 **My thank-you goes as usual to my beta-angel Magzillasaurus.**

* * *

 **Day Twenty-Eight**

*Still Twenty-Seven*

"Dear Hermione, don't forget our night out!" Margaret yelled for all to hear around the pool, reminding the blushing witch that they agreed to a night out at the piano bar.

Spinning, the brunette nodded and focused immediately after on the inquiring blond, "Are you going somewhere without me?"

"I guess you don't need my company tonight, as you made a new friend." _Why did she show him Mr. Buzz? I can be such a moron at times._

"Where are we going?"

"I am going to my room to sunbathe naked." She gave him a once-over, without stopping a second.

"People can see onto your balcony, lady. No naked. I won't allow it." Her assets were for limited eyes only. His.

"I'll cast a disillusionment charm, don't worry." Though she stopped walking and he bounced against her, "What do you mean with you won't allow it?" She frowned dangerously, "You're not my master."

"Your body is for my eyes only, how many times do I need to repeat myself?"

"Right." She drawled, scrutinising, "I'm not someone with voyeuristic tastes, why don't you go back to your friends?"

"I don't trust you, your eyes have this suspicious flare." Cutting their walk short, he brought her to his room instead, by apparation.

The first thing she spotted on his bed was her silver toy, and the curiosity rose, "Draco, what kind of talk did you have with Mr. Buzz?"

"Just curiosity, I tested the settings, found out all by myself how to put the batteries back in. It works!" He thought probably that his angelic face was enough to steer away from her inquisition, as it did with his mother so often. Yet, there was nothing he could do against red ears.

"You tested the settings." She could feel it on the tip of her toes that there was more to this story than he let her believe. Calling upon her Slytherin side - dogs, fleas you know the saying - she ditched her shirt and the triangle top while walking towards the sliding window doors.

"Hermione, they can see you!" He pulled her back in, her tits bounced freely from his brusk move.

"Draco, no they can't. I'm a skilled witch, I know the drill." _Casting a spell could happen in seconds, is his brain malfunctioning?_ "Now, be a good boy and tell me what else did you find out?"

"Eh, nothing. Just the batteries." He walked back in for a tumbler whiskey, travel book in hand, "What's a helicopter?"

"You know aeroplanes?" He nodded, "Well, same principle, smaller craft, the propellers rotate on the top. It carries fewer people on board but is more flexible. Would you like to try it?"

The activity was described as a flight above the must-see's of the island, the lagoon, the white-sand beaches. She hadn't yet been inside of one, it sounded fun to try.

"Is it safe?"

She retorted, "Is a broomstick safe?"

It had been awhile since she saw his offended glare, "Even your Weaselbee is a decent flyer on his Cleansweep. Potter, on the other hand, falls off regularly…"

"Says the one that crashed with him… haha… funny. In a way, it's like flying your Firebolt. Up and down, back and forth, slide to the right or swing to the left. Yet we are inside a cage, depending on the model six people, maybe eight or just four…"

"Aren't you afraid of it, you hate heights?" The more she described it, the more he looked forward to it.

"I don't know, I've never flown one. In an aeroplane, I feel safe in my seat, with my belt tightened. It will not bounce like the gondola at St. Lucia, I don't mind trying it."

"It's settled, I'm flying your bird and the hiking? Care to join me?" This conversation was due to happen, may as well steer her away from the buzzy toy on his bed. He had a feeling that she forgot about it. Now, only hide the damn thing before she sees it and asks the wrong questions.

"Let me read it, hmm…our arses are getting a serious workout with this one, Draco. It's a steep trek, you're up to it?"

He shrugged, "It's been a while since we've done something adventurous. Plus, afterwards, we can go for a massage like that hot rock affair we did."

"I don't know if I'll be able to walk after that, I bet my legs will feel like jelly. Alright, we're hiking and flying." She straightened, flattened the back of her lounger and turned around to lay on her belly, sticking the edges of her bikini bottom between the crease of her arse before she rested her weight on both arms.

"What are you doing?" His eyes didn't know where to focus first. The sight of her dangling tits, or admire the curves of her naked globes.

"I'm reading, duh." Her finger flipped to the next page and pushed a bunch of curls to the right, offering him a better view of her bosom in the process. "Plus, I want to suntan my behind, what's your problem?"

"Woman…" It came out as a whimper, his groin going from soft to hard-on in less than two seconds. He hooked a finger through the edges of her knickers and restored the view to normal. He wasn't sure her charm was still working.

"Draco, knock it off will you?" His actions were undone with a new flick of her finger. "You spoke of a submarine?"

"Oh bloody Salazar, you're killing me here. I can't think while my mouth is begging to suck on your boobs by the way you're flashing them. And your arse...your arse..." He looked desperate.

Hermione beamed him a toothy grin, "We'll talk about sex as soon as you tell me what you did with Mr. Buzz."

"Nothing." He squeaked. "Hermione, have mercy..."

"I'm going to shower, you'll do the same here and pick me up in an hour for dinner." She dropped the book on his lap, intentionally close to his bulge. "It will give you some time to remember your conversation." As if it wasn't enough, she pushed her knickers down and walked back inside, naked.

Before she apparated into her room, Hermione snatched the silver toy, "I'll take this one with me."

-oOo-

Alone in her room, she started the jets to steam up the place, while gathering her underwear for later. Margaret had talked the women into going for a dancing night, it was Abba live tonight at the Piano Bar.

The shining of the silver in the sunlight made her stop for a second to ponder. What the hell did he do? A quick test confirmed it worked, even when she left it in his hands with half of the batteries out. Draco was no idiot, he figured it out by himself. But she was dying to know what got his knickers in such a twist.

The most plausible explanation was him testing it. Did he hold it against his own groin? To feel the vibrations? She had read in a Muggle magazine that vibrators also could bring pleasure to men, if she weren't mistaken, if it was held at a spot behind their testicles. Maybe a theory worth more in-depth research, now the cat was out of the bag. _Though… he didn't compare sizes, did he?_ _What if…No, Draco wouldn't…has he…?_

The plop of apparation broke her line of thought.

"Alright, I sized it up. I'm bigger and wider than your buzzer." He had barely arrived, or he blurted it out, "Happy now?"

The helpless way his confession was delivered, made her double over in laughter. The more she dried her tears, the more annoyed he became, which only increased her fun.

"Well, you know where to find me, once you've ridiculed me enough." It wasn't the reaction he anticipated, not that he knew what to expect at all.

"No, wait!" Her voice came just in time to prevent him from apparating away. Hermione held her hand, turned off the shower and approached him waving a guest towel as a white flag.

He gave her his most stern gaze, though the tented boardshorts kinda dismantled the offended air . It was hard to look angry when she paraded her naked assets right before his nose.

"How did you know it's smaller and thinner than you?" Her fingers made short work of the strings holding his shorts in place. Yet, they didn't fall as she hoped, it remained stuck on his erection. Her hand offered a solution to his problem. "If you are in a natural state, Mr. Buzz is bigger, though."

"I guessed." He gulped. Her pumping hand was short circuiting his brain.

"You guessed. Because you know your size so well by heart that just by palming Mr. Buzz, you knew it wasn't a threat?"

Will she believe it? "Something like that."

"Hmm. I have another theory, but first I'm taking my shower." All of a sudden, he felt cold in his nether regions and heard the stream getting started again. A curtain of brown curls appeared by the door, "Are you joining me?"

"I'm supposed to shower alone, orders from the mistress."

"Well, you must follow her commands then. I was about to suggest a save-the-world action and share a shower, but I would hate to cause you trouble."

He cleared his throat, "In that case, I'll risk her ire."

-oOo-

As agreed with her friends, she appeared at the piano bar in a glittery white dress, and an equally well dressed wizard, also in white, who mumbled about looking like a bummer with all the sequins on his suit. A flick of a wand had ensured the adjusting, not quite fully to his taste.

She saw him hold back a nasty comment or two about the dancing style of Abba songs and issued a warning with her eyes. Having, however, to agree that some men and women had laid it thick when it came to cosplay, chest hair wasn't the most attractive thing to see right after dinner.

It was impossible to miss where her friend's table was, as usual. The loud cheering of Helen, Louise and Margaret drowned out the tunes of 'The name of the game'.

"I respect your patience, Hermione."

"They are fun to have around. It's been a while since I laughed this hard, besides when I do something idiotic, next to them? No one notices… haha."

A cocktail was shoved into her hands, while Henry handed Draco a whiskey, "Believe me, son. You'll need it as much as we do." It promised nothing good.

-oOo-

The result of that funky night was a tipsy Hermione in his bed.

She had danced until her feet hurt, forgetting entirely she could cast a decent charm on her shoes. The colourful cocktails kept coming, and so did the empty promise of that being the last drink of the night. He lost count, in the end.

There were some benefits to a relaxed Hermione, though. She giggled the entire time while he undressed her, her drawl brought him so much fun that they ended in his bed, tumbling over each other until he could curl her body around his and force her to sleep.

He hoped that she eventually forgot all about the vibrator. For once, he prayed for a miracle.

-oOo-

*Day Twenty-Eight*

She refused to rely on the benefits of a pepper-up potion; instead, she gathered her courage, her shades and a towel, and chose to swim her hangover off.

Draco never noticed her departure and woke later in a cold, empty bed. Clueless about her whereabouts, he decided to give the book another look while drinking the coffee he ordered from room service outside on his balcony. Hermione explained to him how the machine was operated, but alone it was easier to use the tiliphone than to get the bloody coffee maker to work.

Believe him, he tried.

-oOo-

"I'm attending this afternoon's art class. It's Aquarelle hour, something I did in primary school."

"Oh great, Hermione. That sounds so…interesting." Did he mask the boredom away?

"And then they say _I_ can't lie?" The swimming did miracles for her humour, she felt all new. "We agreed not to be glued to each other, twenty-four hours a day. See, they are giving golfing introduction lessons at the same time. Try that, but do me a favour. If you see Nicholai, ignore him."

"But…" he sighed, "Fine. See you for dinner?"

"It goes without saying."

-oOo-

Thank god her artistic talent wasn't required to achieve top N.E.W.T. scores. Her skills for painting were still as disastrous as they were during first grade. _There was no Picasso lost in her_ , she thought giggling. _Let us hope Draco's golf talent is better than mine._

Going by his beaming face, it was.

"How was the golf?"

"I'm installing a golf course on the Manor's grounds. It requires precision, focus, and a decent arm swing." He faked the club swing, steady on his feet.

"Did you expect to end up buying a quad or setting up your private golf course when you started this cruise?"

"Oh, definitely. Especially running into you and finding out how what a hot piece you are in bed. I only wasted time, during Hogwarts methinks." Draco stretched his arms to the side, "Show me your painting."

"Well, it's nothing special. Let's head to the Ocean Grill, I'm into some salmon today."

"Hermione Granger, show me your piece of art." He kept her gaze fixed in his, sensing payback for her laughing yesterday.

"It's nothing…a bad idea…"

"Love, be a good girl and show me what you've painted this afternoon…" he kissed right behind her ear, a spot that had her squirming in no time.

With a head shake, she braced for his laughter handing over the small canvas.

You couldn't say he didn't try to be supportive. He did. With the best of intentions. Face straight, while admiring her art.

Better said, trying to figure out what her painting stood for, "Beautiful. Nice use of colours. What am I looking at precisely?" His face had trouble keeping a traitorous smirk away.

"Crookshanks, my kneazle."

"Of course! How stupid of me." He bit hard on his lip, "I should have seen it. The ears…" more like Dobby's in his eyes, "The recognisable eyes," of a scared crow, huge, disproportioned and not at the same height, "Are those whiskers?" They looked more like claws sprucing out the line that was supposed to be a mouth. "You should hang it above the hearth, to be admired." He nearly burst in laughter but regained his control.

"It's perfect to be used as firewood. Go ahead, laugh at my expense. I give you permission." She waved a hand forlornly.

He cracked. Doubled in laughter, hands against his belly to control some of the bubbling. "I'm so sorry...bwahaha...it's just...oh Salazar, your kneazle would have the scare of his life...It looks more like an orange Filch caught ogling McGonagall in a shower!"

"Hey! No bashing on Professor McGonagall!" She might hate to hear it, but she knew it looked ugly as hell.

"Hermione, next time. Go play golf with me. You'll love it." She doubted that strongly, but hell if she attended a new art class. She'd rather attend a Pilates session.


	21. Day Twenty-Nine

**I'm picking up the pace, my lovely readers. My body forced me to tone it down a bit, but I'm not gone and day 29 is a two-chapter, the second part is being cooked as we speak :)**

 **Beta'ed by my angel Magzillasaurus.**

* * *

 **Day Twenty-Nine**

The arrival at Honolulu didn't happen as she hoped. There were no dancing grass-skirted women, nor drumming on the tambourines.

"Why are you pouting?" The curled bottom lip was a dorky sight.

"Hmpf...it only happens in the movies...balls…" She whimpered, thinking, _At least there were flower garlands._

As they passed the curtain of welcoming young girls, Draco and Hermione were greeted with a fresh _Lei_ , "Ha, one of my three wishes is accomplished!"

"A chain of flowers?"

She shook her head, "Well yes, a true first taste of the Aloha spirit. I miss the music and the dancers, though." Her deception was hard to subdue.

Draco seized her hand, "You can be such a girly girl sometimes." Following Perkins, they arrived at the bus with two other couples, and two men who were obviously good friends. They were driven to an area where multiple companies were stationed, the different models of helicopters and two-engine aeroplanes as a business card shining outdoors.

Theirs was at the end of the lane, and as the bus drove up the driveway, the faces of every passenger showed excitement.

Draco's jaw fell open, and the first thought that crossed his mind was, _can I fly one of these birds?_ Before him, stood two red, yellow and brown striped helicopters, as those Hermione recognised from the TV-show Magnum. Five rotor blades, a T-tail, and no doors.

The looks of awe muted any conversation until their pilots reached the group, "Good Morning folks, or as we say _Aloha_. I'm Steve, this is Evan and behind us are two MD-500's, or the Hugues 500 model they use in the Military. These babies are the civilian versions, and were used in the famous Magnum PI tv-series in the USA, with the famous Tom Selleck in the leading role; we're sure the ladies will remember." The smirks confirmed the statement, Hermione's was more of _I've heard of him, from my mum._ "They can fly as fast as two-hundred eighty kilometres per hour for the European folks, one-seventy-five miles per hour for the Americans. We will not fly that fast, of course, our goal is to show you in an hour time the highlights of our beautiful island."

With no exception, all the passengers hung on Steve's words, "It's an open-air helicopter, but please ladies, fear not. You will be safely strapped to your seat!" The laughter was evidence of how not only women feared the absence of doors. Draco, on the contrary, didn't mind it though, broomsticks have no entries…

The young Hawaiian continued, "You'll have to excuse our indecency, but we need to weigh you, guys. To have a decent weight distribution between both aircraft. Rest assured, we will not announce aloud the number on the scale."

His mind raced about million things, _how did Muggles get this baby flying? Where can I buy one? How do they work and what are all those displays for? The majority weren't things Hermione could answer,_ he thought _, but she would know where I can get my answers_.

They were weighted per couple, and in the end, Hermione and Draco got the company of the two brothers as it turned out.

"Have you flown before?" The oldest of the two asked, "It's my first time, Alan-my brother-has done it before with his ex-wife."

"Yes-" Draco winced.

"No, we haven't." Hermione elbowed Draco subtlety before he would tell he flies via Firebolt, "Draco means he has wanted to do this for a long time." She stared at him intensely as a warning.

"I meant, indeed, that it was my first time too." The insistent brown stare was returned by a dark grey glare, he still could feel the point where her elbow hit.

Evan, their pilot, helped them harness securely, explained the use of the two-way headset and fired up the engine, amplifying the thrill in the blond wizard. Unfortunately, there was no centre-seat for Hermione, and she held tight to the sidebar and her seat.

After flying over the idyllic Keehi Lagoon, the first of many highlights, Draco's eyes were wide, hair flew everywhere despite the headset around his head, "Look! That tower looks like our Big Ben, the basic version." His outstretched arm pointed towards an iconic tower, the tall building at Honolulu Harbor.

Evan spoke through the com-set, "You're looking at Aloha Tower. It has been the tallest building in Oahu for four decades since it was completed in 1926, it's clock is the largest in the US." A new photo, the fourth or fifth already, since they took off.

The next passage was above a bowl-shaped crater, now covered in beautiful trimmed grass and a few stone markers, Evan elaborated, "We're flying over the _Hill of Human Sacrifices,_ as the ancient Hawaiians called this Punchbowl Crater. It's believed that, at an ancient temple here, the bodies of slain taboo breakers were cremated upon the altar. Now, it is the resting place for more than fifty-thousand veterans including those who lost their lives during the attack of Pearl Harbor."

Draco lipped, _What's Pearl Harbor?_ She mouthed back, _Later._

Yet the serenity of the place was impressive, just as much as the ridges of the mountains that followed, creating a spine down the middle of the island. More harbours and beaches followed, with the blue water babbling onto the sandy shores, surfers, and to their immense pleasure, dolphins submerging in the water, a school of six if Draco counted correctly.

He took picture after picture, patting her leg to point out a spot; whether it was as they flew over downtown Honolulu with its beach line, or when the pilot brought them above the Diamond Head Crater giving the Hogwarts couple a taste of their hiking planned for the next day.

"That's what we're heading tomorrow, right?" Draco asked for confirmation, after Evan's spot naming.

"It looks magnificent from above, doesn't it?"

Honestly, Hermione didn't know what she loved the most. Everything was so green or blue, vivid colours all around her. It looked like paradise, rugged coastline alternated by sandy beaches, some full of sunbathing tourists, others clearly transformed into natural reserves for their protection.

"We're flying over Hanauma Bay, people. Pay attention to the clear water and spot the coral reefs underneath." Only the rotors could be heard, as every single passenger admired the natural beauty, "It's now heavily protected, as a first-time visitor, you have to watch a nine-minute video to learn about marine life, preservation and the rules of the park." Evan circled above Outer Reef, and flew closer pointing out a certain spot, "Look at your five o'clock, guys!"

"Draco! Look! I see a turtle down there!" She heard the camera go off, but didn't notice that one or two were close-ups of her delighted face. For that one time, she leaned over the edge for a closer view, ignoring her fear of the aircraft entirely.

It wasn't the first coral reef they saw, nor the last beach. A lighthouse followed, _Makapu'u Point_ , _with the largest lens of the whole United States._

Draco wondered, "Is this America?"

Hermione nodded, "It belongs to the United States, yes."

More of the island was shown, the pilot pointed out to must-see spots, among them, the valley used in several movies including Jurassic Park; the beautiful thousand-foot cascade, Sacred Falls; or where celebrities had their vacation properties until the end of the tour came in sight. Circling the Pearl Harbor site, he didn't skip the Arizona Memorial or the battleship USS Missouri.

The wizard understood that this place had the same vibe as the Liberty Ship in San Francisco, and stored for later the wish to know more about it. Perhaps their Wizarding Community needed such a monument, to remember those who lost their lives at the hand of the noseless bastard.

Aside from some occasional turbulence, the flight ran smoothly, though some turns were narrow, almost parallel to the ground. The younger of the two brothers felt uneasy at one point from the motion sickness, but it lessened after a while and a few bits of advice from Evan.

Draco was not only astonished by the entire tour, but he was mostly fascinated by the aircraft.

The smooth landing was meant to be the very last phase of the tour, the other helicopter touching down shortly after. Everyone unhooked the harness, thanked both pilots for their beautiful journey thoroughly and headed back to the bus. All but Draco, and subsequently Hermione.

The blond entered an intense conversation with both pilots about the functioning of a helicopter. Steve was apparently the most enthusiastic of the two and took the wizard with him into the cockpit after he gave the blond an outside tour pointing out the several components like the rotors and the tail, and explaining how they worked.

Hermione sent the other passengers away, "We'll call for a taxi when he's done. Don't wait for us, sorry."

Nothing that the two men were discussing interested her much. It was just like cars, meant to drive somewhere, but how the fuel made the engine move forward was of no interest to her.

Instead, she found a shaded spot under a tree and sat down, slumbering in peace.

The restart of the blades woke her up. To her great astonishment, it was her Draco behind the poke, who was lifting off with the helicopter, with a stern look of concentration on his features while following every bit of instructions.

The flight didn't take long, just over the water to the other shore and back, but it was long enough for her to understand that this came very close to his thrill of flying a broomstick.

Draco nearly hopped back to her, the spark in his eyes spitting a youthful fire she hadn't spot yet. He held her face between his hands, squeezing her mouth a little too tight, unnoticed, "Did you see me fly, love? That was WOW! Just fucking WOW, holy Salazar's saggy tit. You steer that thing by holding a poke one hand, pulling another at your side and balancing the tail blades with the two pedals...Hermione, it's fucking awesome!"

"Very interesting, Draco. I'm glad you love it. Will we be looking for a flight academy? You must be dying to take flight lessons when we get back to the UK. Or am I wrong?"

"I'm boring you with all this, or am _I_ wrong?" In the middle of his enthusiasm, he forgot with whom he was speaking.

"I'm not into flying a broomstick, nor one of those without doors. But don't let my snarkiness about the subject kill your buzz. Now, will I be helping you find a decent place when we're back in London?" The answer was displayed on his face, the nodding was superfluous.

-oOo-

For their choice of lunch, Hermione talked Draco into expanding his palette of tastes with a selection of new dishes for both of them. While his decision of Pork Laulau, tender slices of juicy pork wrapped in taro leaves that, after cooking in an underground hot rock oven, turn into a spinach like consistency - a new experience, but one both enjoyed - Hermione's selection was more challenging.

She tried a mix of Lomo Salmon and Tuna Poke. The first was dice sized pieces of salmon cured in salt and eaten with a Hawaiian style of salsa, mainly acid tomatoes and sharp onions. Out of safety, she asked for the version without the chilli peppers. The second seemed like the sashimi sushi version of tuna, but instead of the thin slices, they were bite-sized hearty cubes and a choice of marinades to try, from wasabi to lime.

Hermione made him try both, confirming once more he was no man for raw fish. Give him the cooked versions of any fish plate, not this stuff that would barely satisfy his hunger.

In the meantime, he talked her ears off with questions about Pearl Harbor, falling silent the more she recounted what she knew.

"I've told you about World War II, remember? America was until that point watching from the sideline more or less. The Japanese decided to attack a strategic place, in particular, Pearl Harbor, to prevent the American's mingling in a planned conflict against the UK and other countries, if I'm not mistaken, though it's been a long time since I read anything about it. Out of nowhere, battleships and bases were attacked, more than two thousand people died." She sipped her ice tea, before continuing, "If my memory doesn't fail me, I read somewhere where Japan says that they won the attack but lost the war."

"Help me understand...They attacked a military base successfully but lost the war?"

"Draco, we have to see if we have time for a visit, I don't know all the details. But, the Japanese fought the Allies on the side of Germany and Italy, but after the atom bombs on cities of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, they yielded."

"Atom bombs?"

"Chemistry, imagine this deadly bomb build with dangerous potions and dropping it on innocent people with catastrophic consequences. Mankind can be cruel, like fuck, if you tell me."

"Between the Avada's from the Dark Lord or those chemistry bombs from your Muggle World, I don't know which is the most violent folk."

"Nor do I, Draco." She ordered them a mint tea as a closer.

-oOo-

Their next adventure was a novelty to both.

"Draco, this will be one toy you can't buy."

It was time for their next excursion, an underwater tour aboard the Atlantis submarine and they were at this moment on their way to the diving site outside Waikiki, on board a smaller speedboat.

Cautiously, they transferred from the one into a long white elongated surface, and descended down the stairs on board of the sub, surrounded by big round windows. To say that Draco was entirely at ease inside the closed space, was a false statement; on the other hand, the interest to experience and see the underwater world instead of looking at photos appealed to him more.

Once the boat was loaded and the necessary doors were closed and locked, it navigated away from the pier and began to sink.

Hermione and Draco had chosen a window in the centre, adjusting the headsets provided - later a marine biologist on board would name the different marine life they encountered. Bubbles ascended against the glass, and he took her hand for grounding. It was this morning's events on the reverse, she providing comfort instead of his nudges.

A display on the wall showed the reached depth, starting at twenty feet, quickly reaching the sixty and stopping at the end goal, a hundred feet. At first, Draco controlled his breath to keep his head straight - small spaces weren't his cup of tea - but once the fish swam around their vessel, one coloured and small, others long like a snake, his nervosity made room for astonishment. Name after name, the biologist in his ear pointed out the eels, the stingrays, the turtles and so much more, all of them impressive in their own right.

He learned to take pictures without the flash, at the suggestion of a neighbouring tourist, recording for later the evidence of a remarkable experience. He also drew away from the window when a curious shark displayed an impressive amount of teeth, "Damn those look sharp."

"I believe they are, and they love meat!" Hermione shivered. It was one menacing fish she didn't want to touch, unlike dolphins.

But it wasn't limited to fish only, the submarine brought them between the coral and the marine vegetation; they witnessed the sandstorm a stingray caused while searching for a place to rest.

"Is that a boat?" Draco blinked a few times as the vessel slowly approached the wreckage, navigating around the entire boat.

"It's been here for a while, I guess. See how it's full of encrustations…"

"I need to bring my mother here, she would love to see this…" He snapped picture after picture. "Your Potter might like this too…"

That last comment surprised her the most, "Would you like to return?"

"Of every port we docked, this one has the most variety to offer. The beach, the sightseeing, I bet the shopping also, my mother will enjoy it as much as I do. Salazar's sake, what the hell is that?"

"An aeroplane." Hermione inched closer to the window, "Probably one from the war." Next to her, the camera shot a few pictures. "The bottom is full of wreckage, see another boat far ahead."

She yelped, thought the brunette wasn't the only one. A turtle swam nearly against the window; Hermione put a hand against her chest while she laughed in shock, "Holy shit, the damn thing came out of nowhere."

Slowly, the submarine turned around and again a joint _aw_ floated in the air, as three dolphins escorted them to the shore. Draco spoke to her, but she never registered, entranced as she was at the sight. The biologist confirmed it was very likely a little family, between them an infant, who came closer, curious about his many admirers. His antics were met with peals of laughter, not one passenger was immune to so much cuteness.

None remarked the ascending, which happened accompanied by their dolphin group. But something scared them away, and Draco's jaw couldn't drop more open. Two big whales swam towards the submarine when it reached the surface. The pilot noticed how fast everyone mounted up, exiting the inside of the craft and admire the new arrivals.

This hour-long journey underwater was an eye-opener for the blond, but the cherry on the pie was watching the colossus expel air and water out of their blowhole before they dove in the water. For a man who only saw whales in his textbook, seeing two so close was breathtaking.

"It beats any schoolbook, right?" Her words fell on a deaf man's ears, it was his turn to be mesmerised.

Draco never noticed her shooting a picture of him. As they were urged to switch over to the speedboat for the return trip, the blond directly headed the quickest back to the rail and keep admiring the view, especially when the three dolphins kept tabs on the two newcomers from a safe distance.

Any uncertainty or any residual repercussions from his Alcatraz breakdown he still felt, all of it disappeared and was replaced by a sense of peace. Even when he found himself on the pier, his hand firmly in her hold, the sensation lingered in his heart.

Hermione entered his line of sight, joy glowing on her features, held his face between her hands and kissed him reverently. Draco craved her closer, wrapping her petite shape in his arms, hand holding her head in place as his mouth devoured her with a hunger that went beyond arousal. It was his way to say thank you.

Thank you for letting him enjoy without demanding his attention needlessly, for allowing him to relish in silence. Thank you for sharing this magnificent experience with him.

In return, Hermione filed this journey as a trip that should be renewed a few years later. Because it brought him so much joy.

Temporarily, both forgot they were in public, the other mattered more than what a stranger might think. Creating their own cocoon, regardless of the possible audience. Those strangers were ignorant to the path the couple had walked to arrive at that point; ignorant to the hate turned into friendship into true love that grew exponentially every day. Oblivious to his secret desire to make her a permanent fixture in his life, and to welcome any siblings into his world as an extension of his feelings for her.

Regretting even the time they wasted all those years.

Since his breakdown at Alcatraz, his mind and heart pondered on all the possibilities with her at his side, returning over and over to the same conclusion. He wouldn't let her go. Instead, he thought of marrying her once they arrived in the UK. Playing with the thought of asking her to stop with her potion and let nature lead the way. His blurting out about the heir in her womb, during a moment of passion, was nothing more than a prayer spoken out loud.

What this excursion taught him was, life is too precious to waste. Salazar knew how much time he had lost already.

But he had a mission first, in Brisbane. To set the one thing straight that his side brought upon her, the only one he could undo. With a soft hand or the hard means if necessary. Or his name was no longer Draco Malfoy.


	22. Twenty-Nine Part Two

**Hi! Thank you for your patience, sorry for keeping you waiting. At the moment I have to switch to a weekly update instead of bi-weekly. I have a medical issue to take care of at the moment and my focus ain't what it should be. A big shout-out to my beta angel Magzillasaurus!**

* * *

 **Twenty-Nine Part Two**

Hermione Granger wouldn't be herself if her bag didn't contain their bathing suits, a quickly conjured cap for him and her sunhat, plus the beach towels she snatched out of their bedroom.

It was by now four o'clock in the afternoon, the sun still radiating hot over Waikiki Beach, perfect to catch some sun on the sandy beach, "Damn, walking over sand is like trying to conquer a mountain. My feet get buried with every step I make." Draco's first encounter with the grainy underground was not one to be missed.

"Is the hunger monster making his daily appearance? Will ice cream ease the beast?" She got used to his grumpy self, recognising the signs from afar.

"Maybe. But I don't see a parlour." He was already frowning at the way people enjoyed the shore, trying to spot the place where sunbeds were available but encountering none. "Hermione, are we going to lay down like these muggles?"

"Yes, grumpy cat. We'll spread our beach towels, set our arses on the cloth and stretch lazily to enjoy some rays of the sun. My skin is longing for a Hawaiian tan."

Draco retorted almost immediately, "Wait a minute, woman. You're not going to stick your knickers in your arse to tan your behind, lady."

"In fact, I was thinking of going topless, just like that lady over there." Her chin jerked towards a woman a few feet away, and to her pleasure, she saw his eyes widen, shocked.

"Hell no! We've been through this, your tities are for my eyes only."

"I'm the boss over my own body, I've also been through this, I do as I please. Between all these women, I'm not standing out like on the ship and I hate tan lines on my boobs."

"I'm erecting a disillusionment charm, I don't want any bloke to be lurking at your beauty." His hand flew to his wand but was blocked by a female palm. "Hermione, please."

"No. No magic among _muggles,_ " she gritted that last one, squinting her eyes in warning. In the meantime, she found an excellent place to drop her burden, taking out a towel and shaking it in the air. At the head level, she built a little mountain as head support, a habit she learned from her mum. His towel received the same treatment, under the scrutinising grey stare.

"Why the pile of sand?"

"See it as a grainy pillow for your head."

He huffed, "I'm expecting sand in annoying places, you know?"

"That's what showers are for." On her knees, she took out her bikini, "Wait here, I'll go get us some ice cream after I change clothes."

"Hermione…"

"I'm not so depraved to go buy us ice cream while dangling my naked breasts to the salesman, don't worry. Yet, I _will_ take off the upper part before I'm laying down on my towel." His pleading eyes didn't hold her back. She spoke with the pointing finger, "No tan lines. My body, my choice." She was gone with a peck on his lips.

He saw her disappear into the masses, spotting her form as she entered a changing booth. A few moments later, Hermione resurfaced, clothes bundled over her arm, the burden dropped onto her towel, "It's your turn, Draco."

"No taking off any parts while I'm gone!" He warned her, pursing his lips.

He didn't walk towards the same booth, he rather ran. Changing happened in a jiffy, but his exit out of the tiny place wasn't as fast. Instead, he hid his wand strategically between the rolled-up clothes around his wrist. Confident of his success, he cast a disillusionment charm to follow her every move. The assets of each Malfoy woman aren't to be _admired by peasants_ , he thought, though he allowed her the tan she desired minus the oggling.

She was a smart woman, but he wasn't a squib either.

Unaware of his knowing smile, the brunette rummaged in her bag, searching for her little coin purse. Satisfied, Hermione motioned towards the vendor and returned shortly after, the queue wasn't that long, "Sorry, Draco. It was melting over my fingers." Her desire for a lick won over her intention to wait with devouring the milky dessert ahead of him.

"Are you eating ice cream on an inverted pyramid?" His tongue darted out to lap the white trail on his own cone, but he eyed it warily.

"Yep, it's called a _Cornetto_ , and the base is made of wafer dough; the pointy end has a surprise." With a turn of her wrist, she rolled the entire scoop on her tongue, ending with her lips closing over the tip with a hum; making Draco regret not casting the charm on himself, the wizard hiding the tent by raising up the legs.

"Me likes your ice cream." He lapped and licked, copying her moves and biting carefully in the wafer with a hand underneath to catch the shattering pieces. To her surprise, he ended first, his face lighting up as he tasted the chocolate in the end. "More!"

"Later, sweet-tooth." Finally, her own cone was devoured, and she reached behind her to release the straps. The grunt was ignored to prove a point, she would meet him in the middle concerning some issues, but no way he got to decide every aspect. Also, Hermione meant what she said: on board of the Arcadia, her nudity would stand out, where here between several other women, it was hidden in plain sight.

With a relaxed sigh, she stretched on the sand, enjoying the little shade on her eyes provided by her sun hat.

From his side, the grunt was just for the drama. He did admire her beauty and revelled in the pleasure of knowing that not one of those tossers around her could see a thing. Yet, just to be safe, he hid his crooked smile behind a flexed arm resting under his head!

"I'm going for a swim!" Her jiggling breasts as she rose to her feet made him salivate. Still, he was very aware that this beach didn't give them the same privacy as Aruba did. Aside from some petting under water, he would have to wait for the gratifying work.

"Good idea." With their fingers laced, they walked to the waterline.

The coldness of the water felt like a blessing in the heat. They swam a little around followed by a fond embrace, as a couple in love.

Draco fought the inner need to take her then and there, this wasn't the place to be kneading her mounds at will. The charm solely worked on her, in the end. His exclusive reward came from the knowledge that no one could see her half-naked.

"Why are you smiling like a Slytherin?"

"Because my woman is a sexy girl, and I can't have enough of her tities rubbing against my chest?"

"Ah, you've overcome your uneasiness about my topless?"

"Hmm, oh yes... definitely."

The glint she saw made her suspicious.

"You're not jealous of the men oggling me." As her remark left her lips, that's when she noticed the lack of male interest around her. Not one male pair of eyes roamed over her. Admittedly, she wasn't voluptuously built, but her bosom wasn't the flat type either, and it started to feel odd not to receive any attention at all.

His sly grin only grew, to her mistrust.

Draco left her for a second, to try and conquer the wave as he saw a few others do. For every time he succeeded in sliding along, there were three others where he went under water, coughing the bit of salt water while grinning at the same time. She might be a girly girl, as he said earlier, he could also be a real bloke with youth tricks.

But as he left her for the fourth time, she approached a girl, "Excuse me, I need help from a girl. My boyfriend keeps telling me my bikini is see-through. I don't believe him."

"Oh no, you're safe. I can't see anything from your bosom, you're good, believe me." The female grin had a vibe of a joke feeling very familiar. Hermione's was, however, as fake as it could, her brain already cooking a payback for the charm he cast outside her knowledge, _the snake._

 _See who laughs longer, you slimy arse._ In her head, the perfect punishment took form, something that involved her Mr. Buzz most probably. But, as he came closer, her face wore the mask of ignorant and the intense kiss was returned, full of promises.

For now, it sufficed her to rub with extra movements the sunscreen over her bosom, belly and legs, using sensual finger brushes. That he wasn't immune to her attack, pleased her also to no end, yet, the brunette wasn't enough satisfied, and lying it extra thick, she asked him to rub some cream on her back, moaning and rolling her head from the sensations.

Draco couldn't see her face, with pursed lips and promising glare. After all, he couldn't avoid a grunt here, and a loud exhale there. It takes two to play a game, and she had the winning hand.

-oOo-

Their dinner was in one of the most romantic places she ever saw. Their table overlooked the shore, moonlight shining on the water that rippled with the light breeze. Between them burned a candle, throwing a yellow glow over their now empty plates, sitting between their linked hands, his fingers rubbing her hand with soft gestures.

"We must return here, don't you think?" Draco spoke softly, enjoying the ethereal glow from the candlelight on her face. The topless episode now entirely forgotten and replaced with the need for some intimacy.

"I suggest when we hit an anniversary of sorts, like our fifth. Unless we can't physically." It was the first time she spoke about the perspective of long-term plans for them. His statement about conceiving an heir in her womb during a moment of bliss went straight to her heart, and she often ruminated during a second of silence. Them together was still a fact she feared, feared foremostly losing him, a man that demanded every day that passed a more significant chunk of her heart.

But the idea of being pregnant with his baby, girl or boy absolutely not important, gave her a fussy feeling. A feeling that suffocated her notably, by the thought of wanting to add this particular fact to her life as soon as possible.

At the same time, it scared her tremendously. Their reality, a relationship that a month ago was formed out of anger and hate, turned into a need to feel his baby grow under her heart. Where the thought came from, was to her totally unknown. Not even with Ron, did she ponder having a family this fast. Draco whispered this in her ear, and bam, yes please, yesterday rather than tomorrow, if possible.

It was crazy as hell, too soon and stifling, yet simultaneously, absolutely not impossible.

He frowned, "Unless we can't physically? What do you mean?"

"Well, I can't travel so far if I would be very pregnant, can I?"

Her answer silenced Draco, it was the very first time she spoke about a stable future with him. Plus, it brought a visual to his mind that he didn't mind at all, her face staring at the sun, clothed in a light dress, and the belly heavy with his son. He cleared his throat first, "In that case, we postpone it for a year. I like your suggestion, not the entire cruise, but revisit Hawai, maybe another port."

She looked far into the ocean, grinning, "The entire cruise could be repeated when we're as old as those crazy bats, like Henry and Margaret. Can you imagine us, Harry with Ginny, Ron with Susan, who would you want from your snake friends to join us?"

"Blaise and Pansy, though me and the Wease-Weasley in the same vessel for so long? I don't know about that..."

"By then, you'll spend nights playing chess with him. We're talking about thirty years from now, at least. We're 23, right? Definitely thirty if not forty years later."

He sighed, "If you put it that way... but I'll add Theo and whoever he marries. No way the Slytherins will be in the minority against your Gryffindorks."

She broke in a peal of laughter, at his face of surrender. "Gryffindorks, eh? I've been called worse…"

"Well, I've been called an evil cockroach once. How did it go again?"

Hermione choked on her wine, "See if I can recall it… foul, loathsome, evil, little cockroach...that was it, followed by my right." The finger followed every word.

"At least I'm not little." He wiggled his eyebrows, "Or am I mistaken?"

"It seems that you're bigger than Mr. Buzz." Her chin rested cheekily on her hands. "I'm still not satisfied with your answer, you know? I want a demonstration of how you measured both."

"Use your imagination, witch. This foul, loathsome, evil, _huge_ cockroach has told you all you needed to know."

The mood was no longer romantic. It suited her plans just fine, in the end. Especially when he misread her giggles.

-oOo-

Her suite.

He opened the door like a gentleman, she waited until he entered and locked it with a well-placed _colloportus_. Draco frowned at the casting but didn't bother asking why.

He should have. Next thing he found himself floating towards the bed, being tied up to the headboard by legs and arms, totally naked. "Are we in need, love? Don't need to employ harsh measures, I'm yours, honey."

"No, I want to have a talk." In the meantime, she ditched her dress and walked around her room in underwear, to pick up her silver friend and a newly conjured whip. That last one received a blond raised eyebrow.

"Did you cast a disillusionment charm on me, Draco?"

"Hmmm no?"

"Let's try again, was I completely visible to strangers on the beach?"

"Yes!" She didn't specify it entirely. Technically, he wasn't lying.

"Could they see my nipples?"

He gulped visibly, in particular when the strings of leather caressed his chest. He stared at her, wondering how she found out. Yet, she was Hermione Granger, witch extraordinaire.

"You see, I believe they couldn't. I believe they saw my bosom covered in my tiny bikini." A light slap followed on his thigh. "Do you know why, Mr. Malfoy? Because men do oggle women's tities. Small and big. It's in their nature to peek. And to my surprise, not one stud paid attention to me."

He huffed jealously, "I'm the only stud you need."

The next swing stung like a bitch, he winced. "What have I told you about my decision?"

"Your body, your decision." He parroted her statement from earlier. "Be as angry as you wish. I don't like it a bit, to see you parade your assets to strangers, if you do it again around me, I'll repeat my actions. Can you release me? I don't like this anymore."

His reaction was one she didn't count on, it stalled her. A flick of a wand later and he was cut loose.

"I don't mind seeing you sunbathe naked, but not where others are present. You want to do it, fine. No tan lines on your boobs and arse? Be my guest, you have a beautiful body, and I love to admire it. But, allow me to shield you from a stranger's eyes, and I'm good. I don't want to see you parade as if it's normal to flash your tits in public, like one of those women. Not for me. Not my woman."

"Draco…"

"Listen, we are evolving to something more than just a crush. I'm at a stage that I see this cruise ending with us a solid couple, creating a family together. I love you, Hermione. But, you're asking too much from me." Though it hurt him to speak these words, he felt compelled to make a statement. The tone of desperation was an underlying resonance, "Think about it tonight."

He apparated into his bedroom, with a heavy heart. It was not about taking her agency away or ignoring her wishes to force his view upon her instead. It was him being able to cope with a way of life so far away from his own beliefs. He didn't want more than to parade with her at his side, wherever they went. Her figure wrapped in an elegant gown, at his arm, knocking out the old and young wizards with her beauty.

Yet certain parts of her body are only his to worship, call him old-fashioned for all he cared.

-oOo-

Within her own room, she was temporarily at bay. The vibrator and the whip thrown mindlessly aside.

Sitting on the edge of her bed, she tried to see it from his point of view, away from her opinion on being able to make her own decisions. To accept that her choice stirred within deeper feelings than just his personal taste.

What he asked wasn't unreasonable. What he asked, conveyed his belief that he hated to see her nudity so publicly out there. What he asked wasn't worth throwing what they had out the window and calling it quits. He didn't say: don't do it. He only requested that she wouldn't do it with strangers around them.

This was called: meeting each other in the middle. Compromising. That she could do. What she also could do, was to apologise for hurting him. Her decision did stab him in the heart.

She had work to do.


	23. Day Thirty

**Ha, my darlings. Thank you for all your messages and patience, I'm picking up the beat and hope by next week to be able to switch back to updates twice a week. All the results were more than satisfying and the dark clouds are gone.**

 **My gratitude goes as always to my partner in beta-crime, Magzillasaurus.**

* * *

 **Day Thirty**

*Still Twenty-Nine*

She apparated into his room to find him on the balcony, smoking a rolled-up cigarette.

"I didn't know you smoked?"

"Only when I'm nervous." A new cloud of smoke floated into the air, his arms hanging over the railing, body bent forward, bare chested, and the pyjama trousers hanging low on his hips.

Ditching her sandals, she approached him and wrapped her arms around his torso, cheek resting against his shoulder blade, "I may not have pondered about things from your perspective, thinking you were only trying to impose your preference."

"I would be a moron to believe that I could command you. You would put me in my place before I can say Jack Robinson, witch. Maybe I'm old fashioned, maybe I'm wrong to clip your wings on this issue, but it fucking twists my knickers to see your nudity, or half of it, revealed to whoever wants to oggle. It's a tough nut to crack."

"I understand."

"If we're up here inside our balcony, or when we're home in our garden, do as you please, for all I care. I know they can't see onto our deck; not even the one on top of ours. I'll even rub sunscreen on you with pleasure. Not in public, Hermione, everything but that."

"Alright, I'll keep it in mind. You say rub sunscreen, hmm? l might take the offer, to test your talent for a nice massage." She peppered his back with a kiss right between the blades. Her nails scraped lightly over his pectorals, circling the tight nipples and raising a hiss from his lips. His belly rose with his deep intake of breath.

Boldly, she took the cigarette from his fingers, extinguishing it in a nearby ashtray and pulled him inside by lacing her fingers with his.

Mouths connected, lingering. Hands headed to the waistband and pushed the fabric down his hips, finding no underwear to shift along. A nudge was all it took to have him sit on the bed, another one to have him lie down on the bed, the witch assisting in placing his legs at the right spot before straddling his hips. His half-hard member was perfectly positioned between her lace covered nether lips.

"You're beautiful, Hermione." He spoke huskily against her lips, after pulling her face down to his. Her curls were caught by the hands surrounding her head. "Your body is fucking gorgeous, I'm so proud to have you at my side, woman."

"I know."

"I admit, I'm a jealous and selfish bastard. Men can see your curves, but I'm the one to admire your perky nubs. Men are allowed to watch the shape of your arse, but it's my palms that surround them, my eyes that see the sexy crease between your globes. You belong to me, as much as I am yours." Grabbing her hair tighter, Draco pulled her to him, demanding her mouth in a fervent kiss, tongues circling around the other and his splayed hands caressing her spine with slow strokes, from shoulder to her arse and back.

He forced her to cover his body with hers, her legs sliding down to wrap around his limbs. To him, this time, there was no intoxicating arousal, but a need for the other kind of intimacy. The urge to feel every inch of her covering his skin, head to toe.

In return, she gave him all that she had to give. Was it a foot stroking along his thigh, the ankle and foot, or a hand raking through his blond tresses, trailing down his ears, jaw and shoulder ending at the elbow.

It remained an intimate caressing until the hunger changed, big palms grabbing her arse and forcing her core to rub against his hard member and pull those little noises from her mouth that he loved to hear. His hips rose in time to meet her, hands fumbled with her bra and impatiently ripped the lacy barrier separating her warmth from his cock.

"Hey, I liked that."

"You can have a thousand others…" Draco nibbled the bottom lip, reaching between her globes to press a finger against her entrance. Only the tip of his digit entered her velvet heat, "You're ready for me, aren't you love?"

"Always." A breathy hiss left her lips as he invaded her walls, an inch at a time. She throbbed with the need to be filled to the brim, but that was outside his ministrations. Instead, he chose to torment her with languid strokes, excruciatingly slow as if he was savouring her for the very first time. Each time she tried to up their pace he held her back, not once redrawing his transfixed stare.

"Draco, please…"

"No, you're riding my dick at my discretion. Feel my cock stretch your walls each time I thrust into you." He moved from words to deeds, hammering the last bit until he was fully sheathed. "You're fiery velvet around me, your slick heat the most exquisite lubricant; do you feel me glide effortlessly till the hilt?"

The whispered words were doing a number on her mood. All she did was clench around him, scrapping her nipples on his hard chest, and switching from kissing him hard to resting her head on his shoulder for grounding. Her entire body flushed with arousal, and her clit rubbed on his pubic bone with the exact pressure she needed; Draco kept a hand on her lower back to push her down on him.

"This pussy is mine to delve into. I'm the only one allowed to squeeze your arse, to stroke your little hole in the back, one I plan to test one of these days." Hermione squirmed. "These tits belong to me, woman." He licked with a flat tongue on her pursed nubs, pulling the one than the other with his teeth to end in a decadent sucking deep in his mouth.

There was so much she could handle. Lost in desire and the electrical shocks down her spine, she broke away from his grasp to push her core harder on his dick, the fire circle gathering low on her abdomen ready to explode. Draco couldn't look away from the sight she formed, curls bouncing on her chest, eyes closed and the bottom lip wedged between her teeth, while she ground herself as hard and deep as possible.

The guttural moan coming from her throat underlined the clenching of her pussy around his jerking dick audibly, fading her vision into black. As he pulsed inside her core, his arms wrapped around her frame and held her tightly against his body, swallowing her mewls with his mouth and making her feel through touches how much she meant to him. Both lost in the feeling that seemed not to end.

She whispered against the crease of his neck, "Draco."

"Hmm..."

"I want you to talk dirty to me more often, this is fucking hot."

"Duly noted, now let me sleep. You literally squeezed my batteries empty."

Hermione smirked into his skin, "Wrong, babe. You filled me with your jizz."

"If only…"

Gathering the last ounce of strength, she lifted her head to stare at his grey orbs, "If only what?"

He let his eyes roam over her red face, a hand gently shoving a gluey curl away from her face, "Never mind, my brain is exhausted. Let's sleep, we have an intense day waiting for us."

"I love you."

"Love you more."

"Git."

"Swot. Shut up."

-oOo-

*Day Thirty *

It was earlier than their usual, but it was for the greater good. The hiking would take three hours, and the guide wanted to depart early to avoid the most intense sun along with their trail.

On the other hand, there was something wonderful about seeing the green areas still wet from the morning dew at seven in the morning.

Their group was more numerous than usual this time, apparently, the hike appealed to young and old, Louise and Terry among the crowd that exited the bus at the foot of the crater.

"You're joining this one?" The older lady greeted them as old friends.

"It's not the first hike we're doing. We did the canyoning in Madeira, and that was amazing." Hermione squeezed the woman's hand after greeting Terry.

"Amazing, she says. Terry, I had to save her when my girl here decided to freeze while walking on a rope bridge. Her legs were shaking, once we were back on solid ground."

"Hey!" He felt a pat against his shoulder, "It was pretty high. Plus, Mr. Superman here admitted he didn't feel very at ease either." It's nice to laugh afterwards, but the moment itself was still etched in her mind. She did freak out on the spot.

The group got into movement, following two guides, one that walked slower with the golden age gathering, and the other taking the head of the trail with the fittest of the gang.

From steep, narrow concrete paths, they moved on to winded-up switchback dirty pathways with loads of loose gravel and potholes. Flights of stairs followed, first just a few, then a severe accumulation of ninety-nine stairs with dark tunnels in between, barely lit, to end in another stairwell of intermediate gradient level, in total over a distance of twelve hundred meters or three-quarters of a mile.

At a point they walked inside a concrete bunker, after climbing through its rocky tunnel, their guide denoting out to several passages, rooms and other interesting pointers.

After that first severe flight of stairs, Hermione swore, "Shit, I'm showing penance by climbing this hike from hell. I've must have committed many sins…"

"I can name a few if you want..." _Why not seize the opportunity to tease her?_

"Oh, tell me all about it, Mr. Malfoy. What am I doing wrong?"

"One, your boobs aren't public property." Better underline it once more, ignoring her annoyed huff. "Two, I'm not getting my daily blowjob… Three, I..a…"

"You're not getting what daily?" She frowned, hands on her hips, stalling just for a second. "Show me the agreement where I signed up for such! Oh, men… Morgana, give me patience."

Hermione marched her way up, and missed the smug look on his face entirely… _a man can always try..._

During a break, the brunette cautioned him to more slyness, between massive intakes of air, "Draco, tune down the judgement, it's too visible."

He retorted, "Tell me the advantages of walking in such shoes over this kind of paths? It's the recipe for pain and Salazar knows what else." The Slytherin didn't hide his accusing look, as he spotted a few women walking on the trails wearing their flip-flops.

"I agree, but don't be so obvious." They shared a water bottle while already admiring the view from halfway up the mountain. Moments later, Hermione rummaged inside Draco's backpack to bring out the photo camera, the blond taking some shots of the surroundings and of a resting Hermione, flushed from exertion. She paid him back by shooting one of him, while he spilt some water during a sip. Mentally he took note of erasing that one, as it interfered with his image of perfect manners.

Break time came to an end when their guide joked, "Are we up to continue climbing the approximately one-hundred seventy-five stairs on this trail?"

Everyone crossed looks, wondering if the man was joking. He wasn't. In fact, the majority held onto the metal railings, as the trail was a challenge by its own. Here and there a foot slid or tripped. Multiple whispered fucks followed, male and female alike. Yet, Draco walked steadily behind Hermione to give her the support when needed, not that he was the master of the journey himself. He also lost his footing here or there, or his pale hand shot out many a time to keep her up upright.

No one was immune to the testy underground.

However, once they reached the open air, they had to clamber out through a gap in the bunker, almost like a head-to-toe bend out of a pillbox, but once outside the sight was breathtaking and not solely because everyone was out of breath. Just seconds before they saw concrete gun supports, still intact despite the age of the construction.

Together with the previously spotted passages, it all formed the silent remembrances of its army history. After Pearl Harbor, the saucer-shaped crater was used as a military base - which also went by the Hawaiian name _Le'ahi_ , literally the point of the _Ahi_ fish - and was turned into the perfect site for the coastal defence of Oahu.

Terry and Louise were far behind but had assured the younger pair not to worry about them. They would meet at the departure point anyway. The trail was described as for young and old but at each their own pace.

The guide explained, "Now we're on the top, folks, we have hiked to a height of five-hundred sixty feet or one-hundred seventy metres. For those who wish, over there is a trail with more stairs, to reach the very summit of this mountain, at the height of seven-hundred sixty, or two-hundred thirty-two metres. When you return, you can visit the visitor centre and purchase for two dollars, a certificate of achievement, people!"

"One we can frame as a trophy, Draco."

"Next to the Floo and make everyone jealous of our cruise."

Between her panting, she giggled at the thought, "We should get two, and send one as a gift to Astoria."

"Oh, woman. You're mean, and I love it!" He guwaffed, "To think that it's thanks to her that we got together…"

"We really should send her a thank-you present."

But until there, their thoughts about home.

Hermione had the feeling she didn't catch the entire sight, despite the several viewing decks that offered three-hundred-sixty-degree panoramic views. A few followed the suggestion of the guide and adventured up the last flight of stairs to reach the summit of the crater. It offered a more amazing sight than the previous. The crater's platform was covered in green, aside from the few roads around the base and from tunnel to tunnel, including the parking lot where their bus waited for the guests to return.

Beyond the crater, the skyline of Waikiki city rose as white pillars from the ground, elsewhere the lighthouse lonely in the distance was surrounded by green and a red roof or two, yet the most majestic scene was the water of the Pacific so bright you could see down to the bottom.

Their camera shot photo after photo. Of the views, of Hermione watching in the distance, or even a bird close by.

The helicopter ride gave him the thrill of flying, but standing so high up the crater, after conquering a challenging steep hike, it made him silent once more. That achievement certificate was going to adorn a place that no one could overlook.

Hawaii was a place to return. Next year, five years from now, or when they both were older than the grandpas on board. It didn't matter, but this island stole his heart.

-oOo-

"Darling, I'm sure I will not be getting out of bed tomorrow." Louise hugged Hermione twenty minutes after Draco and the brunette arrived back at the bus.

"I'm glad I could walk back down," Terry complained just like his wife, despite sporting an ear-to-ear smile. A local passed by with a camera, and the older man stopped him. "Please take a picture of us four. Make it two!"

Grinning despite their exhaustion, the men held the certificates in the air, while the women laced the arms behind their backs squeezing closer for the picture. Two clicks followed, separated by the time it took for the Polaroid to spit its first print.

But Louise wasn't satisfied. Grabbing the pen from the man's breast pocket, she scribbled a message quickly, returning her stolen item from where she took it, "Now I'm happy. I want you two to remember us when you return home. The crazy Louise and her Terry."

"Thank you. How much do we owe you?"

"You silly boy, nothing. A gift is a gift you don't repay people." The white-haired woman shook her head incredulous. "Your young love is a blessing to this old heart, my loves. I want you to tell your folks about us, and how we conquered this hiking from hell."

"We will, Louise." _To our lovely couple, with love,_ it read. It baffled him entirely to be welcomed as a friend by a pair of Muggle strangers. _Where in their Wizarding world did you get this treatment?_

Hermione sensed his struggle, "Between Muggleborns, Half-bloods, and don't be mad for me to say it, but blood traitors included. This has nothing to do with decorum, but with true relationships. Honest friendships, Draco, with no regards to politics or what that family could bring yours in profit."

"I believe the term blood traitors belongs under the same rubbish bin as mudblood. Your Weasel is a different beast, but the Weasley's as a family? Mine could learn from them, aside from the hand-me-down robes."

"Do you know the concept of a barbecue?"

"If you're describing one catered by the elves, sitting at a table with the nicest china, next to Mrs. Parkinson dressed in her most horrendous gown which makes her fatter than she already is. Yes, I do."

They walked hand in hand back to their suite, the plan was to watch the departure from the Hawaiian port under the sunset. The Samoan island Apia was their next stop, after four sea days.

"I meant one where you eat chicken drums with your fingers, drink sangria with fruit and sit at a table with checked cloths, while your father has an apron around his waist and is handling the fire."

"My father cooks?" He felt her forehead with the back of his hand, "You're not feverish, have you caught too much sun?"

"Okay, then between you, your Blaise and Theo."

"We drink firewhiskey lazily on the sofa, talk back about witches or some quidditch game."

"Here's the deal, when we're back in the UK, I'll ask Harry to host one in Grimmauld Place, I love his ribs with barbecue sauce."

"As if your Potter will accept me only because you ask him."

"He will."

Slowly the ship left the harbour.

As a goodbye party, a little school of dolphins followed them until they navigated into the open sea. Hermione caught Draco waving at the animals as if they could return the gesture.

The cheesy smile on Draco's face was irremovable for the rest of the day. Even while he spooned with Hermione in bed.


	24. Day Thirty-One

**Beta credit as always to my Magzillasaurus!**

* * *

 **Day Thirty One**

"I need to work on my stamina, I feel like Louise and Terry, an old gall with arthritis." Her calves hurt, as did a particular part of her back. A look to her right informed her that Draco wasn't any better.

"Not today, but tomorrow lets visit the fitness guy and use his cross-trainer again. He might oggle me a tad too much for my taste, but his contraptions are a nice way to keep in shape."

Hermione stretched like a kitten, "I'm attending bingo with Margaret and the gang in the afternoon, but I think I'll drag myself this morning to the hot jacuzzi at the Neptunus Spa, maybe the bubbles will do some good."

"I'm in. But the bingo...I'll sit that one out." A good book from the library and his lounger, _what else does a bloke need?_

-oOo-

The spa was quite busy at their arrival, there was just enough space for them to sink into the warm well of bubbles. Hermione bit back her moan at the contact of her sore muscles and the hot water, seeing the bliss cross also in Draco's features. The lighting was dimmed and slightly purple, and the scent of lavender filled the room, an oasis of rest.

Soon, both were unwinding with closed eyes, heads resting against the pillows, taking long relaxed breaths.

Unfortunately for them, two of their companions engaged in a gossiping conversation and didn't shut up for a second, "Have you seen those two bats seducing the director, you know, the Swenson bloke? They know no shame at all, patting his stomach that way, with his wife only a few beds away from them at the pool."

"They are shameless, I don't think that there isn't a man on this boat that hasn't fallen into their trap."

"First that young blond, who obviously did enjoy the attention a little too much, if you ask me." A pair of grey eyes sought the source of noise and followed the conversation carefully, feeling called out; especially when the one continued regardless of whom she was sharing the bubble bath with.

"Oh, the blond… you rarely see such light blond hair on a man, almost like platinum… he did look good, didn't he?"

"Madeline, if I was twenty years younger and my breasts didn't lose the fight against gravity…"

"My bosom is also like a sack of sand, so the opposite of what they used to be, Rosemary." The names rang a bell in Hermione's head, a certain Gerard came to mind, complaining to his wife about the amount of bags she brought for their cruise, _so this is the Madeline-can't-wear-the-same-thing-twice._ On the contrary of Draco who looked at the women from under his eyelashes as they were describing him, Hermione never wasted a breath on opening an eye. Instead, she listened and grinned, curious to hear more.

"The blond is single I presume, and unless his swim trunks played tricks on my sight, he's quite well endowed."

"Madeline, you should pray ten Hail-Marys for your dirty thoughts. You're a married woman!"

"As if you wouldn't give up one of your saggy tits to have a ride on a bloke like the blond, one and all tight muscle and big prick." The snicker which left Hermione's lips was poorly covered by a cough. It stopped the gossip temporarily, but just for a few seconds.

The Madeline woman continued, "Though, I have seen him with a girl lately, with curls who live their own life if you ask me. Such a hairdo she has." The hands spaced out to demonstrate the volume.

Hermione frowned, thinking, _it's been worse, crazy bint._ This time the Hogwarts pair crossed looks, the grey gaze visibly having the time of his life. Underwater a hand found its goal and squeezed, setting it on his thigh.

A quick glimpse told the two that they weren't the only ones paying attention to the Chatty-Cathy's, one woman clearly recognising Draco as the blond featuring in the conversation. A silent smirk was traded, but Hermione gestured to the woman stealthily to keep it quiet.

"Her hair might be wildly curly, but together they form quite a cute couple if you ask me."

"So, you saw them together too?"

"I'm still doubting between she being the flavour of the week or a true love story as in the old tv show, the Love Boat."

"Oh...Madeline, that was such a beautiful show on the telly...pity they don't make such anymore. It's all about slicing throats with a sword and fire-blazing dragons."

"The youth doesn't know what good telly is, nowadays… remember Dallas?"

"Sue Ellen was a viper."

"But Bobby was such a good looking bloke..."

"What are you wearing tonight, Rosemary?" Just like that the conversation changed from Draco's love life and TV-shows into clothes.

"A silver gown from Dior."

"The one you wore last week?" The tone confirmed the remark on the arrival day, this Madeline did judge the re-use of an outfit.

Hermione tuned the rest of the conversation out, not an easy feat thanks to the volume.

"She sounds like Pansy, taunting Daphne about a garment choice." He murmured.

"Pity they stopped talking about you, you have quite the appeal to the old ladies on board."

"As if I would dip my quill in her inkpot. My little me would shrink at the sight."

"Haha, I have it easier… I can use my Mr. Buzz."

A big water splash made them look at the two women wading through the bathtub to reach the stairs. Slytherin at heart, Draco rose half out of the pool as they passed by, raking through his blond hair to draw the attention to his exceptional complexion, and watched with enormous pleasure, how both women flushed recognising the focus of their conversation.

"Draco, darling, which flavour am I this week?" The sweet tone was heavily in contrast with the defiant look on her eyes as she stared straight into the women's gaze.

"Caramel, I covered you in chocolate last week, remember sweetheart?"

"Oh yes, it's nice to lick the sweetness off _your_ …" If there was any doubt, the lowering gaze killed it at the roots. "Luckily I don't have to sacrifice a saggy tit to ride your big…"

"Love, use the big word...don't be shy, you call it worse between our four walls. You love my big prick." Behind the two standing women, a shameless snicker rose in the air and was the figurative last nail on the old bat's coffins. Staring down ashamed, both ladies exited the complex as fast as they could, one visibly suffering from the ache in her hip as she walked.

The bang of two doors closing was, for a few moments, the only sound in the jacuzzi room. All of a sudden, eight people roared in laughter, Hermione hiding her blush between her hands.

"I'm so glad those two left the room! They couldn't shut up for a minute." A man voiced everyone's thoughts.

"It's a shame they didn't follow with their conversation, jumping from subject to subject. I'm curious who those two women are, honestly…" The snickering woman inquired but received an answer from another swimmer.

"A couple of lesbians who look for a man to sandwich in between. Please, my friend, share it with us, your girlfriend seems to be in the know..."

"If these women come closer to my Draco one more time…"

"Mate, your woman doesn't share I guess..." A splash of water silenced the man.

"Neither do I, Roger. Your willy in the neighbourhood of those two slags and you'll be spending the night at the pool."

It was more interesting now, the other female counterparts nodding at the statement.

"A man can never have a fantasy…"

"If I'm honest, sir, I prefer my girl here over the two ladies."

"You've educated him well, girl." It was a general female appraisal that was heard.

"I detect a man tied by his…" One man wasn't afraid to voice his opinion.

Draco, however, shook his head, "I guess when you find the one, others don't matter anymore. I have all that I need right here. Plus, having two women at the same time, it is slightly overrated."

The most vocal of the women mouthed to Hermione, _keep him._

-oOo-

"Look at what I won!" Hermione jingled a bottle of body cream in front of his face.

"Did you scream too?" Draco sat his book down and sat straight in his lounger, legs over the edge. Unscrewing the lid, the scent of roses flew into his nose, and he hummed at the possibilities.

"No, Margaret did in my place..." She chuckled, taking the bottle back and sitting next to him, straddling the lounger. "I'm going to miss them, they are such fun."

"What do you want to do?"

"A late swim at the outside pool?"

"Show me the way."

-oOo-

Finding a spot was easy, one rubbed sunscreen on the other and the Slytherin dove into the water as Hermione stretched lazily back, slumbering under the warm sun.

"Hey love, I'm heading over there, they asked me to play some water polo game."

Draco spotted the two chatty Cathys from this morning and waved his hand at them, _gotta cater to your fans, right?_

"Draco, let them be… they've been avoiding looking at us since we arrived." Her hand pulled at his arm for the attention. "Do you know the sport?"

"No, but the bloke explained to me, and we watched a round together. One of the guys on the bloke's team left, and they are uneven."

"Go have some fun." She pushed him into movement and saw Draco dive head on to swim with powerful strokes to the spot he was expected.

He might lack the muscle, but his lithe shape made up for the difference, and soon he placed himself in strategic places and helped score or scored himself some points.

Her book didn't interest her anymore, the focus solely on her fully grinning wizard. Unexpectedly, her gaze fell on the two women who were the subject of this morning's conversation, and a wave of jealousy rose to her skin as she followed their gaze to where Draco swam. The applause and the cheering left nothing to the imagination. They considered her wizard tonights' snack!

"Oh, I see a deadly female look in your eyes, darling. Share with your aunt Helen, who are you killing tonight? I'll help you cover up." A chin jerk was all the older woman needed to know. "Ah, the two slags… are they eyeing your boy, my dear?"

Hermione grunted, "He's not their sex toy."

"He has been, of his own accord."

"Not since we've been together."

"That's true. But unless you set things straight, they will be after him. Otherwise, you could wait it out, see what he does on his own initiative."

"Like a test?"

"No, your boy doesn't need to be tested, just see if a male refusal does the job, or if your man needs your help to take care of business."

The water polo game ended with a win for Draco's team, others joining the water as the nets were taken out of the pool. Much to Hermione's anger, the duo headed straight towards the blond who was seeking his girl among the sunseekers, sandwiching him before he well and truly realised **.**

"Wait, dear. It's too soon." A wrinkled hand held her up, though it was visible that despite Draco's demeanour the two women kept pushing the wizard to his limits, "If any of these women would ever lay their fingers on my Donald, I promise you, they would quickly make acquaintance with my sharp nails."

"I thought you would be covering for me, not the other way around?" Hermione glanced quickly sideways, smirking, but lost her patience and headed towards her wizard to save him.

-oOo-

"Hey darling, you were the best player." Anna, if he recalled it correctly, stroked his arm with a digit. A month ago, the attention would have thrilled him, now it disgusted him thoroughly, especially if their behaviour was noticed by nearly everyone on board. As if the finger wasn't enough, a boob found its way against his arm, the other limb feeling a similar stroke from Barbie the blondie.

He took a step back, keeping his arms in motion to avoid extra contact, but to his chagrin, the vipers followed.

Seeking a way out, he kept on the move, not finding Hermione in her earlier spot; he figuratively broke out into a sweat, fearing her misjudgment of a very awkward moment.

Yet, when Anna touched him, she retreated her hand as if bitten by a bee, "Auch." Her face contorted for a second, but it didn't restrain her from trying again. "Oh, there's electricity around you...strange, we're in a pool…"

Barbie looked as lost as ever, "Anna, can we get electrocuted?"

Draco let his eyes roam from one to the other, using the temporary distraction to evade the bints. But the brunette didn't give up that easily, though she hissed every time her fingers made contact with his skin. Ultimately, the wizard connected the dots and looked at the edge of the pool finding a vicious looking witch covering her wand hand with his shirt.

In a blink of an eye, he started to enjoy the situation and remained where he stood to see how far his girl would go.

Far, if he went by the squeaks near his ears.

"Anna, my bikini!" The blonde didn't know what to cover first completely oblivious at the reason why her two pieces swimwear suddenly came loose. Her panic was also mirrored in her wife's face, as the other woman also struggled to hide her nudity from public view, an audience that was attracted to the confusion by the high pinching screams.

Blood-red, they abandoned Draco and sought the nearest staircase much too aware that their naked arses were being ogled by young and old.

As if it wasn't enough, Louise had complained to the lifeguard about the display, and the man waited with two other butlers at the top of the stairs, "Ladies, this behaviour is not acceptable on board of our cruise boat. I'll have to report your misconduct to our Captain."

"But it's not our fault… our bikinis just…" Barbie tried to explain with wide gestures what happened, in her panic refusing to put on the offered bathrobe.

Anna did tie the robe first, but as she wanted to defend herself, a female voice interjected, "It's not the first time, sir. We've seen them swim naked several times." Draco recognised Hermione's tone, and he offered her the most Slytherin of smiles.

"They even touch themselves in the water, unscrupulous. It's disconcerting, sir." Louise added her two cents, and her statement was confirmed by a few other women - scores were settled, in Draco's opinion. Various _It's true, the whole time, I saw them they ditch their swimwear befores_ , followed.

Anna's retorts were quickly drowned out, and to her horror, the lifeguard ate all the lies, "Our crew insists on decent manners, Miss. I have no other choice than to bring over every comment I've heard. Our ship is not one of those despicable vessels. Come with me, immediately."

Barbie cried and hung at her wife's arm, complaining that it wasn't the truth. Yet, the brunette did understand that it didn't look good for them, the setup was undoubtedly an act of revenge from the scorned spouses. They should only have approached the obviously single men, she thought; however, she bet that the blond Adonis from the water polo was unattached.

-oOo-

Once it was safe to rejoice, the avenged wives and girlfriend applauded and cheered the triumphant winning, despite the confused looks of those not-in-the-know.

Louise and Hermione high-fived at their victory and returned to their seats, clinking again with their cocktails. "It was an honour to fight at your side, Hermione. I just wonder how did their bikinis give out…"

"I have no idea, Louise, but admit it that came at a very timely occasion." Hermione hid her face behind her glass - she'd been told not to own a poker face, and better take precautions just in case.

Her wizard held out a hand, inviting her for a swim. She smiled at him without restraint, even a little smugly, while she placed her palm on his and let her be guided into the pool. A tiny triangle came at hands reach, and she picked it between two fingers, waving the garment at the older woman before throwing it away from her.

Draco stared at his girl warily, "You're a nasty fighter."

"I do what needs to be done, I simply dotted some I's." Numerous thankful nods met her eyes, women who had been targeted by the duo but lacked the strength to do something.

Nonetheless, the feeling of achievement remained in her mind. Draco was hers, it was imperative to make it known to those bints.

From his point of view, Draco considered himself a warned man. This wasn't a woman who took cheating lightly, not that he planned on taking a mistress at any point. Yet, forewarned is forearmed.


	25. Day Thirty-Two

**After a well-earned vacation week of my beta-angel Magzillasaurus, I'm back with a new chapter. Thursday follows the second!**

* * *

 **Day Thirty-Two**

Draco's theory about how women flocked together like birds, was confirmed multiple times.

The gossip floated in a matter of seconds regarding how the Captain had threatened the duo with an unfriendly manner that if they continued their behaviour, he would have no other option than to force them to disembark at the nearest port. The company would undoubtedly refund the unused days and provide for travelling back to Southampton, yet their presence wouldn't be tolerated anymore.

Using the momentum as the perfect time for an act of long-desired revenge, a few other spouses decided to lay it on extra thick, claiming to feel offended by the unabashed proposals from the duo towards their husbands; even threatening to file a written complaint with the cruise line, about how he as the Captain tolerated such behaviour.

When some of those spouses belonged to loyal and wealthy customers, well, the man was easily persuaded and had come to an acceptable agreement.

The Captain's decision was only communicated to his staff, yet even some of the team held a grudge on the two and shared the hot news with the passengers famous for not keeping their mouth shut.

When the gossip reached Draco, he wasn't surprised to hear Hermione utter, "Don't expect my empathy. The dare, assaulting married men! You reap what you sow..."

He remarked, "If the men were loyal to their wives and happy in their marriage, they wouldn't even pay attention to those slags."

"You forget that men also think with their lower brain, darling. Sometimes it's that thing between your legs that does the talking." Her chin jerked at the statement.

"I don't hear you complain about my lower placed brain." He pointed his cherry tomato at her from its pierced place on the fork. "Instead, I hear you demand _more, harder, and please Draco…_ "

"You git!"

"I've also noticed how you call me a git when you can't contradict my arguments." His teeth scrapped the fork of its content. "This is the way I see it. These two women launched bait and waited to see who bit. You might have overlooked one detail - blinded by the cutest jealousy I ever saw - but I _was_ trying to evade them. If _we_ didn't exist, then I would have accepted the lure most probably." She leaned back, acknowledging his reasoning, "What they do isn't nice, I agree, but you girls united in an act of retaliation I didn't anticipate."

"They can flirt with whoever they want, but not when the man is obviously in a relationship." The last cherry tomato on his plate was stolen under his nose.

"I concur. But again, it's also up to the man in question to fend off the unrequested attention."

"Was your fending off successful?" Finally, Hermione was getting her point validated. "Even when their fingers were being hexed, they kept pawing you, or did you encourage them to do such?"

"Have I given you any reason to doubt me?" He hoped she wouldn't dredge up all the old stuff, but focus on the present.

"Alright, I concede, it wasn't your doing. Yet, did they listen to your no? No, they didn't. I would feel guilty if they keep it to themselves or only to those singles on board like Nicholai or Harry the doctor...wait it wasn't Harry, what was it again...Harley, that's it, Harley, the orthopaedic surgeon."

"What does an ortho-things surgeon do?"

"It's a muggle doctor who operates on bones, set right broken legs or arms, replace a knee or a hip…"

"I don't mean to offend you, but I prefer skele-gro over your muggle medicine." The thought alone scared the shit out of him.

"We're not done about those bints. If I catch them one more time patting your body as if it's theirs, I promise you the hexes will be nothing compared to what comes next."

"I hope they are smart enough to steer a wide berth around us."

"Plus, for the record, if you cheat on me, I'll hex your balls off and make you eat them in your pizza, thinly sliced like your pepperoni."

Willing or not, he dry-gulped, "No need to be so violent…"

"Just saying." The raised eyebrows and pursed lips did the rest.

-oOo-

"Oh, if it isn't my favourite blond and his lovely girl!" Angelo applauded shortly on his hands, "Welcome to my kingdom, are we looking forward to ridding ourselves of excess weight?"

Draco was regretting his decision to return to the fitness room, feeling his arm be snatched by the trainer and his hot breath on the ear, whispering, "Though you have no ounce of extra fat on your lithe body, darling."

The shivers ran through the blond's spine, feeling the need for some comforting Hermione touch instantly, though by the looks none were being given shortly. In fact, his curly-hair was smiling deviously at the scene. Promises of revenge were made… _to mess this way with a Slytherin was like asking for trouble._

His warm-up started at his favourite machine, the treadmill. This time Draco paid attention to all the buttons and choices Angelo punched, seeing to his pleasure a trail be set where some elevations were also incorporated. "There stud of mine, let your booty sweat on this course, it's perfect for your build. Don't worry about your lady…" _Did the man touch his arse?_

Hermione tried Draco's cross-trainer this time, messing up first with her arm and leg coordination. Her hope that he didn't see it evaporated an instant later, seeing his trademark smirk appear on his red face. The trail Angelo set up for him was demanding, and her wizard was puffing, yet not from over-exertion.

"Your man is handling it just fine, darling. See those muscles flex at every step…" The brunette startled from the comment coming from behind and missed a step or two before she got her rhythm back.

"Angelo…"

"Oh I know, darling. He's so yours...but you can't deny that he's a fine specimen of the male sex, sweetheart. I'm just messing with him a little, I love the blush on his face when he's trying to decline me while remaining polite. His grey eyes…"

"Are like mercury, I know..." She was more relaxed now, the man understood Draco, but he couldn't avoid fangirling over the blond - or _can you call it fanboying?_

"Come with me, darling. Let's work on those abs and your bosom, so it stays nice and perky. I bet it's one of his favourite body parts." Angelo motioned her to get on the mat, blocking her feet with his knees, smirking, "Oh, I've seen how he oggled them on the treadmill last time, it was impossible to ignore. Ten sit-ups love, one...two…"

Draco stood tall next to her, "I spot a bit of fat over here, my love. Angelo, make her sweat."

"I'll be with you in just a minute darling."

 _There are things I'm never getting used to, no matter how often I hear them…_

"A bit of fat?"

"Probably from stealing my last piece of tiramisu, last night… her favourite sport, Angelo, stealing my food…"

"I would offer you all mine…" It was mumbled but still heard. "Do you want to do some weight lifting?"

"Can you turn him into a Paul Walker, with beefed up biceps and chiselled abs?"

"Now darling, I can do much but no miracles." Angelo retorted.

Draco didn't like where the conversation was heading, lifting his shirt up, "Is there something wrong with my abs, perhaps?"

Angelo gave him a good once-over, raising an eyebrow at Hermione, "Women like to complain, darling. Your abdominals are just fine… not chiselled like your lady wants but…"

The scoff and the following swirl heading to the weights made not only Hermione but also a few other sporters laugh. _My abs are muscled...what the hell does she want?_

-oOo-

The offended demeanour lasted beyond their shower, she caught him admiring his shape on the mirror, "Did I press a button, my dragon?"

"No."

With a blank face, she approached him from behind, letting a hand trail down the spine and the lithe build, a muscle-flexing at the touch.

"Are you sure?"

"Woman, you drive me nuts! I'm not a beefed-up guy like Longbottom or Blaise, I know that, but I'm not a sack of potatoes like your Weasel." He patted his tummy, the sound of taut muscle clacking in the air. "Should I ask the two bints their opinion about my body?"

"Sensitive point… Blaise eh? You compared each other in the shower?"

"We did share a bathroom in the dungeons, you see a thing or two…" Shrugging, he turned back to the mirror, flexing his biceps and pectorals. Vanity was still a weakness.

Her lips kissed his skin between the shoulder blades, then his shoulders, the hands stroking his arms hypnotisingly, "I'm only poking the bear, Draco. I consider you man-candy, taut where needed, soft where required and I love the part that feels velvet-soft but can be rock hard."

"You'll need to spoil your wizard a little more, to make that part rise as a flag and please you. At the moment, it feels a little offended by your lack of appreciation."

Her spread fingers worshipped his spine, reaching lower every time they dipped downwards. Despite his earlier statement, Draco's shaft did jerk in anticipation.

"You spotted fat on my belly, earlier… I'm not happy either." She faked pouting and headed to the bed.

"Oh, is this the game the lady wants to play?" She hummed in response, and that fired him up, "Well, I'm forced to employ other measures…" Striking like a real snake, he caught her legs and threw her into the middle of the mattress, the move making her tumble over her head. Draco gave her no room to recover, tickling her sides merciless.

"Your wizard without his chiselled abs is going to teach you a lesson." She kicked him and struggled to cut herself loose, but he was smarter and used the perfect moment to pin her down to continue his attack while guwaffing in pleasure.

She shrieked and contorted, multiple times trying to _accio_ her wand, but his fingers were merciless, and her command lost its effect between the intakes of breath and the peals of laughter.

Until he pinned her wrists above her head and towered over her, the spark in the grey so vivid she could almost see it shine like in the animated movies. The kiss they shared carried the real bond between two souls, companionship and romance side by side.

Later, spooning around each other to recover from their intense lovemaking, the laughter and smirking returned, carrying the hope that this spark never would fade, somewhere in the back of their mind.

Right next to the thought of payback, the issue wasn't finished yet. Not for the lion or the snake.


	26. Day Thirty-Four or is it Thirty-Five?

**A promise is a promise.**

 **As usual, my gratitude goes to my Magzillasaurus for her help. But also to every reader, it baffles me how many people follow my scribblings, from the bottom of my heart: thank you!**

 **See bottom for more notes.**

* * *

 **Day Thirty-Four or is it Thirty-Five**?

 **Day Thirty-Three**

Day thirty-three of this cruise was going to be forever the day that Draco Malfoy attended a cabaret night for the very first time.

The new attempt at tennis initiation with his brunette was fun but nothing remarkable aside from the few times he had to protect his crown jewels from a loose cannon. She had perfect aim with her wand, but when it came to a tennis racket, well the chances of hitting absolutely nothing or knocking someone out were equally divided.

The barbeque on board had started off as very pleasant, but it turned out, at a certain point, to become quite annoying. It was as if his girl knew every woman on board, she was greeted with a light pat in her arm or an apparent conspiratory wink. The first ten were fun, but after the twentieth, he had had it.

"My Granger-girl has been promoted to the hero of this vessel. Call the newspapers and your Potter and tell them he's been dethroned."

"You're so cute when you're jealous."

"Jealous of what exactly, little minx?" He came to regret setting down the last piece of his pizza, it was gone the second he abandoned it. "That was mine, thief!"

"Oh, I thought we had a ' _what's yours is mine_ ' kinda thing going on…" Cheekiness in overload, when she loudly sucked the saucy remains of the top of her fingers.

"Your Slytherin traits are showing love, a little more and you can't convince me that you're not a snake." He rose a pointed finger to object to the incoming retort, "Uh uh, your ' _when you lie down with the blah blah'_ doesn't apply here, smart girl. I'm not jealous of your fame, rather slightly annoyed by the lack of peace while I'm eating my tuna pizza."

"It's beyond my control, you know? It's not like I'm holding an audience with my peasants, honeybun." She couldn't stop wondering how he would react if it were the opposite. "If it's bothering you so much, go back to your room, sulk a little more on your lounger while I'm revelling in the attention."

His expression dulled, "The witches of today…"

"Your witch of today is going to watch the cabaret tonight, but my fans might follow me, so you should join the grandpas and play bridge."

That was the wrong thing to say, and it ended with him pulling her towards a fluffy spacious centre sofa at the Palladium theatre. He had no idea what he was going to watch and expected to fall asleep on the comfortable couch, but a hand on his shoulder guaranteed him no such thing.

"Ah son," Henry leaned in speaking to the younger man, on the opposite side of his lady, "You did a good thing, this is a pleasure for the male eye if you get what I mean..." The heavy grey haired eyebrows waggled.

It seemed as if the elder couple had also used a _confundo_ to snag a seat nearby, or maybe the rude shoo from Margaret did the job. Either way, he was surrounded by his group of friends, raising his flute in greeting.

"Men like to think we don't read their one-way mind, darling. Hermione, no matter how young they are, they are all the same."

"It was your Henry this time." She knew Draco had no idea of what cabaret was.

"I saw it, love. I'll have a chat with my husband later, and urge him to stop teaching your boy bad manners." The firm rub on Hermione's upper arm made Margaret's bracelets jingle. Left and right from them, other elder couples, and they all had one thing in common. The male part looked very interested, probably more than their female counterpart, increasing Draco's curiosity even more.

"Tonight's show is based on the Crazy Horse in Paris." He nodded as if he recognised the place, "I saw in the schedule that they'll do a Moulin-Rouge inspired cabaret later in the cruise."

"Ahh, interesting." Okay, a new ' _oh really?'_ despite being clueless about the subject. _See if he enjoyed this one first._

The lights dimmed, the music fired up, and from that point on, Draco had the immediate feeling of being a young thirteen-year-old who found his father's erotic books for the first time all over again,.

The scarcely clothed girls on stage, some with beautiful body-paint on their skin, performed incredible dancing choreographies combining superb light effects, music and enthralling movements. They wore barely anything other than knickers, stockings and high heels, some just a star covering the nipples, though the majority did have some sort of strap bra, not that it left much to the imagination.

"The Crazy Horse in Paris is known for the art of nudity." Hermione snuggled into him, murmuring, "The girls are beautiful, with shaped legs, amazing bosoms, and are incredible dancers."

"Stop thinking you're beneath them, don't make that mistake. Though, I'm curious, doesn't their nudity offend you?" He had a marvellous woman curled against him, he wouldn't trade for one of those dancers, but he was a man, and he understood perfectly why his grandpa-friends didn't reject attending.

"No, because it's done in a classy, funny and sexy way. It's far from a cheap striptease show. Nudity here is treated with respect, I have at no point the feeling I'm watching porn."

A new set started, surprising both how the woman could spread her legs so wide and flat, "Can you do that?" He couldn't avoid the question.

"I can, but I can't guarantee that I can stand up again." Her chuckle vibrated against his chest. His hand rubbed her back without stopping, tantalising. He agreed wholeheartedly with her assessment, this was tasteful nudity, honoured and far from vulgar.

"I wonder if they offer cabaret dancing lessons…" It was not a mere question but a sneaky suggestion.

"Draco I can't learn how to dance this during an initiation lesson or two…" Her abdominals weren't even capable of lifting her body up the pole as those dancers did. It would remain wishful thinking...

"And you're sure this is a copy of an existing show?"

"Yes, in Paris, just like the upcoming one about the Moulin Rouge; yet I believe they are really different. Moulin's is more burlesque, more theatrical and less exposing."

"Fancy a trip to the French capital to check it out with our own eyes?"

"Only if you offer a tour in the Louvre Museum and the must-see Eiffel Tower."

"It goes without saying."

The entire performance left him baffled, but he wasn't immune to the overload of nudity. Once safely behind the closed doors of his suite, he ate her like a thirsty man before sinking into her fiery pussy and bursting into a blinding orgasm. Even in his dreams, he fantasised about a scarcely clad Hermione slithering up and down, and leaning back in a perfect bridge while facing him.

He did need to check out the original.

-oOo-

 **Day Thirty-Four going Thirty-Five**

"Hell no!" Faster than lightning, Draco rose from his seat, shock written all over his face.

"Tell me, which nail did you break this time?" Hermione tried to figure out which type of epiphany Draco was having, tucking her lounge cushion under her bosom to lift her upper body.

He pressed his finger quickly on a certain page, "We're crossing this _International Date Line,_ and I'm ageing a day just because we're navigating through a bloody line nobody sees!"

"You can be such a self-appointed king at times, Draco. Even our astronomy books tackled this imaginary line regarding the timezones, remember when Professor Sinistra explained about the Meridian line that passes through Greenwich?" The head tilt was telling.

"Oh no! I unleashed lecturing Granger… hide!" What she explained, rang a bell in the back of his head, the typical _I've heard about it once…_ but he still rejoiced at pestering the hell out of her with one of his one-liners.

She gave him a dismissive wave of her hand, "Drama Queen!"

"Dear bookworm, an hour ago it was ten o'clock of our day thirty-four, February the 7th, but now it's eleven a.m. on the eighth. My day thirty-four just vanished and became day thirty-five in the space of one hour!"

"Oh… now I understand...you found a new wrinkle, has to be it because with that hair colour it's impossible to spot the greys." Hermione followed the entire display from her lounger, belly down and arms propped under the cushion she leaned on.

"You're not worried…" It wasn't the moment to point out Draco's hangdog expression, she thought. It would only increase the drama.

She returned to her own book, "I spend at least eight hours sleeping daily, and since I've joined this cruise - aside from our excursions - I'm living a lazy life… so what if my day has been pushed forward one time? My brain is busier with planning what I want to see at the new island tomorrow. The international date line is white noise."

"Where are docking, anyway?" He made her shove aside, as he sat in her lounger at hip height.

She moved slightly to the side, huffing at the disturbance. _Why did he always need to invade her space?_ "Apia, the capital of Samoa, one of the Polynesian Islands. It's totally new to me, my travel guide will come handy to gain some knowledge."

Draco leaned to look over her shoulder, "We can read it together, and then make our choice of excursions?"

In return, she gave him an annoyed glare over the shoulder, "Has your epiphany died a silent death?"

"I'll give you a silent death...wait a minute, you can't be silent." The waggling eyebrows were lewd in their intention. "Auch, you're a violent woman." He rubbed a sore spot, just for show.

Her eyes flickered with cheekiness, "Goes without saying."

-oOo-

"There's no snorkelling, nor submarines at this port." He leafed through the booklet, scrunching his nose at the majority of the events. "We have an excellent high tea parlour on board, we don't need to visit one; bird watching is...boring - I'm not Longbottom, or Theo, for the record, I never said it!"

Hermione laid between his legs, back resting upon his chest, while the book found support against her pulled-up knees, "There's a shopping excursion, but I'm not into it either, I want to stretch my legs but I prefer to skip another hike up a mountain to visit an author's grave."

"I don't know the bloke anyway, and there's no time to devour a tome by tomorrow." The pencil drew a line over the rejected activities, "It leaves us with the essence of Upolu, or cultural demonstrations. They both sound very similar."

"This one includes a beach." She pointed out the Upolu trip, "Plus, they'll talk about medicinal plants, and we can always learn…"

"That one speaks to me also… it's a mix of adventure at a lazier pace." He kissed her crown, "I'm going for a shower, coming with me?"

"I'll join you, let me read some more." Scooting backwards she hummed and stretched into the pillow, occupying the room Draco vacated on the lounger as he headed inside. What appealed her the most about the excursion was how the return journey would happen between rainforests and mountains. A safari of sorts, among the green scenery. After Honolulu, she discovered a love for admiring the marvels of nature, Apia sounded like a perfect spot.

-oOo-

The rainshower streamed trails of water down the male back she appreciated so much, and her eyes roamed over the spine and the muscle that flexed as he rubbed the shampoo in his hair. Hermione wondered if she would ever grow tired of admiring his masculine beauty, but for now, it didn't matter.

Carefully, she closed the glass wall and noticed something that had her roaring instantly. It caused him to spin under the water and curse the sting the bubbles caused in his eyes, "Where's the fire?"

"Your pale arse!"

"My arse is always pale, my skin isn't like Blaise's in case you've missed."

"That's not what I meant. Your arse is paler than the rest of your skin." Her finger traced the suntan lines at his waist, "I can see where your swim shorts begin and end..." She couldn't giggle girlier than at this very moment, hand covering her lips, "Look!"

"You're making fun out of my sculpted behind? How dare you?" The muscles flexed in a demonstration.

The clack of her swat on his arse surpassed the sound of the shower, "You're getting a suntan, Mister Alabaster Skin. Slowly but you're getting there…"

"For once I don't look like a cooked lobster, as someone warned me a while ago." He shook his wet hair over her, Hermione raising her arms to protect against the soapy drops in her eyes.

"You should thank your do-gooder for the right complexion, it's her insistent badgering about sun protection and it's giving its pay-off."

"My benefactor is at the moment a saucy wet minx, begging to be taught a lesson. Stop swatting my arse unless you're asking for something." Taunting a Slytherin didn't go down unpunished. He used his quick reflexes to pull her under the stream of water while at the same time, turning down the hot jet.

Her screech was deafening inside their shower cubicle, but he paid no attention, neither had he noticed the difference of temperature on his skin. This was a woman that held power to heat him up in a matter of seconds, the natural consequences of an ice-cold shower totally the opposite at this moment.

He hoisted her up against the wall and drove into her heat without previous consent, inciting a loud moan that vibrated against his skin, "Pale arse eh? I'll fuck you senseless with this pale arse, witch."

Hermione couldn't reply. Lost between the shock of cold water and the heated actions that followed it, she did the only thing she could: give in to the sensations. She held onto his shoulders, felt the wall rub her skin at the same pace as his thrusts. Her feet hooked behind his back, grounding herself deeper into his groin, while her hands held onto his shoulders for dear.

Draco's hands kneaded her globes, the tip of a finger ghosting her rear entrance and flaring her even more.

She whispered, "Touch me there…"

"Here?" He dipped the finger first in her pussy for some of her lubricating juices, before rubbing the sleek digit around her puckered opening. "Is this what you want? My cock filling your pussy, while my finger fills your other hole?" Slowly he worked the finger up, imitating the thrusts of his dick, "I can't hold you the way I want and do this at the same time."

Draco sat her down and turned her to face the wall, raising her hips to his cock and impaling her in one move. He pulled back just long enough to dip his finger in her honey, returning his hard shaft back to its beloved place. The digit sought its way up her arse, and he fucked her with determination. "Can I add a second?"

A nod followed, and he eased slowly into her, letting Hermione get used to the feel of being stretched. He felt her bounce back and knew it was the moment when she begged for more. The free arm wrapped around her shoulders and pulled her against his frame, "Today is only my fingers buggering you, the next time, I'll reverse the roles…" She mewled, contracting around his cock anguished. "My dick in your arse, my fingers deep in your cunt and your juices all over my hand."

"Draco…"

"Yes?" He bit her earlobe as the palm of his hand tugged her nipple. He raised his pace up a notch, fingers and cock at the same time and felt his own precipice approach, balls tightening in anticipation. "Are you coming on my cock? Do you feel my fingers in your arse? Let yourself go…"

His words affected both of them. Hermione went limp, clenching all around him and crying out her bliss; he held her tight by the waist, biting her shoulder and pounding the last spurts, growling.

They remained glued to each other, exhaling in short breaths, eyes closed. He withdrew his fingers slowly from her rear steering their bodies under the stream of water to flush the sweat away. Draco washed her hair, combing the conditioner through her tresses, scrubbing her body with soft loofah brushes.

All she did was enjoy his care, head resting on his shoulder. Draco gave, and Draco took, leaving her spent but satisfied. _Nah, she was not going to grow tired. Not in a million years._

* * *

 **This International Date Line is a real thing. It took me a YouTube movie to understand the entire deal, but clearly, if you cross the line from Hawaii to Australia (to make it simple) you do move a day forward (or backwards in the opposite direction). It has to do with the Greenwich line and timezones. If you're more curious, it's easily found.**

 **To my dear guest-reviewer Sara:** I regret that you don't have an account to thank you personally for each and every review. They are always so sweet and I appreciate them so much.


	27. Day Thirty-Six

**While I'm enjoying some springbreak, instead of a twice-weekly update, I give you an extra large chapter. My angel Magzillasaurus beta'ed this faster than I got inside 7 dwarfs rollercoaster. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Day Thirty-Six**

"Love, from now on, we stop saying this or that port is the most beautiful." Draco held her before his body, his chin resting on top of her head, and arms cradling her belly. "I didn't imagine that another location could surpass Honolulu, but I had it all wrong."

"Still, it looks so different. It's like I'm looking at a piece of magical paradise. Untouched nature." She murmured, taking a deep breath to enjoy his body heat against her back. "You, me, romance in paradise… I'm feeling cheesy today, but don't judge me for being happy that our gang isn't joining this trip."

"I have a confession to make: so am I!" His voice so near her ear gave her the shivers, in the best way possible.

Her bag stood at their feet, containing the usual burden: their swimming things plus the towels, the sun caps and her second bottle sunscreen - of all she made him do, being greased like a chicken before it entered the oven was not something he was going to miss. See if I can't invent a potion to substitute for the damn lotion, was a regular thought. But until then, he had to admit it did wonders against sunburnt skin, and he was putty in her hands while she rubbed his back."

She held her breath with a last-minute thought, "The camera is in the bag, isn't it, Draco?"

"Yes, Princess. I saw to it myself, I put it inside that bottomless bag of yours." His last words were muffled by the loud horn of the Arcadia, announcing the deboarding.

Following the herd of tourists, they met with the butler and their group after which, they were shoved into a van, one that couldn't hide its old age.

"What a culture shock." Hermione mumbled, "You can see these people don't own much. Look at how worn-out everything looks like."

Draco played with a rebel curl that escaped her ponytail, "I see what you mean." He leaned closer, "Do you have your wand with you?" She nodded, frowning, and he elaborated, "I feel like I'm on a treasure hunt, and your Sparrow bloke can show up at any moment."

"I don't have the Marauder's map at hand with the big X pointing the location of the chest, Draco." They shared the joke with a grin. In the meantime, a child raised her arm and waved at the bus, Hermione returning the gesture beaming.

Their chauffeur drove through the main road surrounded on one side by emerald shores flowing into the azure sea, the blue planes interrupted by rock formations covered in green. Her left side was decorated with palm and umbrella trees unless a group of houses appeared: low shabby looking constructions with the typical washing lines holding today's cycle in the wind to dry.

The population either ignored the bus passage completely or greeted the visitors enthusiastically, "They have these indigenous features, dark-skinned, slightly tribal of vibes, it makes me think of Indians."

Hermione picked in on Draco's remark, "They are Polynesians, a mix of races from this part of the world. From afar connected to the Aboriginals in Australia, if my mind doesn't fail me."

Their bus came to a hard stop, almost as if the driver forgot to stop at the right place. The automatically stretched out arm prevented Draco's fall on the pathway, "How did this guy get his driver's license? I miss the straps from the helicopter."

"Maybe he asked nicely at the City Hall?" Hermione was still recovering from her clash, "I'll be using a sticking charm when we return, I don't feel so safe all of a sudden..."

Their guide, Ano, invited them to discover the beauty of the cape before them, "This is Plum Pudding Rock, one of our most famous surfing beaches…"

For a few moments, the group was treated to a demonstration of professional surfing, a man in the distance crawling underneath a breaking wave, exiting the water masses right on time before it closed ranks.

"Consider me jealous of that bloke. It must be a thrill to conquer a wave like that." He watched the man in his wetsuit with a longing in his glare.

"I don't know where you can learn this back home, but nothing is impossible." She laced their fingers and pulled him back to the bus.

Different country, same problems, she thought, noticing the pile of garbage surrounding their parking place. The respect for nature was unfortunately forgotten.

The sticky charm worked at the next stop against the jerk forward but did nothing to prevent a colliding of heads from the back, both women grunting and rubbing the tender spots, "I'm so sorry!" The blond woman behind Hermione excused herself, "This driver is a little too kamikaze for my taste."

"I understand the feeling." The Gryffindor smirked with a pained smile, "I guess they learn how a car works and that's it. The man doesn't understand the art of halting."

"No, he doesn't." The woman rose her backpack up her shoulders and followed the husband, who copied Draco in checking for hidden injuries.

"Are you okay?" Draco touched the little lump gently, feeling out for red wetness. "Do you feel dizzy?"

"Your concern is heartwarming, Draco, but I'm fine." They followed their guide over well-kept paths towards the sound of water in the distance. "Oh, Draco, look how beautiful…"

The small river ended in a high waterfall, the noise from earlier turned out to be the rumbling of the waterfall meeting the lagoon underneath, surrounded by jungle. Ano announced a little unnecessary, since a wooden sign made it clear enough, "Welcome to the Sopo'aga Falls. When you're ready, we'll give you a demonstration of how to open a coconut with the least spilling." The guide received mindless nods; the noise of the waterfall mixed with the clicking of every single camera.

Draco focused first on the natural highlight, then on Hermione's gleaming face and ended up trading spots with the couple who sat behind them in the bus, taking in turn pictures of each pair with the water in the background, "Thanks, man!" The man was a chubby young bloke called David, sporting a buzz-cut and trimmed beard, plus a tank top that Draco immediately dismissed as indecent - the kind that allowed you a peek at your belly the moment you moved your arms too wide. To finish the look, khaki cargo shorts hanging low on the waist, doing nothing to hide the white briefs underneath.

"Draco, stop looking so obviously, it's clear that you wouldn't even be caught in such attire in your backyard." Hermione shook his arm, though sharing the mutual opinion about the bloke's outfit that contrasted so profoundly with his blond wife, Angela, clothed in a flowery sundress.

"Your Weasley has better taste in clothes." He winced from a poking elbow. Yet, Draco thanked the man with a handshake for taking a picture of him and his lady, one more for the pile of photos documenting their travels as a pair.

A young boy demonstrated how to cut open the coconut with the least mess. Hermione bought one to try, sucking some of its water through a straw, "It's not my favourite, here taste it, Draco."

"Hmm, I like it." Sipping the exotic fluid, they followed another island resident who showed them the mini botanical garden. This time, Draco cursed the lack of time to marvel at all the different trees and plants, neatly labelled in English and the local language. He never noticed how Hermione took picture after picture of him with his nose nearly inside an ananas bush or reading the description of the Nonu tree, a plant that the Samoan people considered to be healing, with immune system enhancing properties.

In turn, Draco laughed when a butterfly landed on her nose when she inched a little too close to a teuila, the national flower they learned, which bloomed at this point brightly rosy red. The familiar click followed, the new photo taken by her blond wizard.

"You know who would thrive here with you?" Hermione remarked as she stepped inside the bus, wishing they could spend more time here. "Neville."

"Isn't he a teacher at Hogwarts now?" He asked her while leafing through the small booklet she bought at his request, containing more information about the local medicinal herbs. The extensive list surprised him the most, many of the common ailments were treated by saps of local barks or by applying crushed leaves over bleeding wounds. This type of medicine, more ancient than their own healing potions and salves, woke up the genuine interest of the potioneer in him.

"Yes, he took over from Professor Sprout. Last time I spoke to him, he was quite happy with his new position." Instead of only casting a sticky charm, Hermione added a cushioning spell around their seat. The head bump made her see stars, and she wanted to avoid a repeat at all costs.

Draco hummed in approval, yet his nose was deep into the book. He nudged her with an elbow, "Here, read this… it seems that the Piper Methysticum plant the locals call Kava Kava can help against pain if you mix the grounded leaves with some water, they even suggest Coconut water."

"I'm not really a fan of the coconut taste, but why is it interesting?" Draco's academic enthusiasm resembled hers so similarly, it was like watching a blond version of herself enthralled by a book's content.

"For you, of course. This mixture has analgesic properties, it says here it can be useful to relieve your monthly cramps, not that I complain about massaging your back." He set the book inside her bag, retrieving the bottle to sip a little. The bumps in the road, however, had him spray more water over his face than actually getting it in his mouth. A little more and he would be driving the damn vehicle himself…

The caring side of Draco Malfoy never failed to surprise her. She took the small towel to dry his cheeks, "Well, your concern about my well-being is heartwarming."

"We can see if we get our hands on some of this Kava plant for you, and a suppliers name, it has really interesting purposes." He kissed her in gratitude and leaned closer to her frame, watching the forest outside. Lunchtime was next, followed by some beach fun, and he was eager to have a swim in such azure blue water.

"You're thinking ahead, right? For your apothecary?" Hermione took the booklet out to read the passage about said plant. "We don't know about secondary effects, Draco."

"It's impossible to discover them with a tourist guide and a twenty-minute visit, I know. But we can get in contact with someone who does know more, and we go from there… it works as a pain-numbing medicine, and against anxiety according to the text…" He pointed her out to certain statements, noticing they were approaching a beach, "You're not going to walk out on me, are you?"

The curly-hair comforted him, "No, I will not repeat Mexico, I promised. If I want to go shopping, I'll tell you up front, I swear."

The halt was smooth this time, despite everyone bracing for the bump they all expected. As a hurdle of meek sheep, the group followed the guide towards a gathering of long wooden tables and long benches, while three barbecues smoked further away.

"Ah, barbecue!" Pulling his hand, Hermione hopped towards a free table, and sipping immediately from the offered refreshment, "A beach barbecue, Draco, these are what I want you to experience at Harry's minus the sand. Not what they offer at the ship is bad, on the contrary, it's delicious. But this is the real thing."

Meanwhile, Draco was keeping an eye on the cooks, seeing napkins all over the place but no cutlery next to the offered plates. "Hermione, how am I supposed to eat the drumstick?"

"With your fingers." Picking one from the pile between finger and thumb, she demonstrated, taking a big chunk of meat including skin in one single bite.

"My fingers will be greasy." He slid a piece into his place, fumbling with his fingers at the oily sensation. At his side, his girl devoured her drumstick in no time, grabbing a sausage next along with a slice of peasant bread. Folding it around the meat, she ate with gusto, moaning in pleasure.

Pulling up his lips, he bit a piece off and chewed while savouring the flavours, slightly spicy but juicy. A trail of fat wetness left the corners of his mouth. Before he could grab a napkin, Hermione was already wiping it clean, "It's an occupational hazard, eating and messing up at a barbecue; otherwise, it's not a barbecue at all. Stop worrying about dirty fingers, there's not only soap and water available, but an entire ocean to refresh yourself in; you're getting wrinkles from so much frowning."

He opened his mouth to retort but found it full with a chunk of sausage. He chewed, and chewed, tilting his head at the taste, and humming in approval, in the end, stealing the last piece by guiding her hand with the sausage-sandwich into his mouth.

"Hey! Take one for yourself!" Her eyebrows formed a line.

"Too much work, I'll eat yours instead. This way my hands remain clean...see how smart I am?" He sipped with a Slytherin grin, "What are those with a bone between?" He jerked his chin.

"Spare ribs. I'll only grab one after you, lazy prat." Her fingers ticked impatiently against the table, engaging in a staring contest.

Draco refused to budge, picking a slice of papaya instead and eating it in bites. Unexpectedly, Hermione's hand shot out and guided the last piece of fruit into her mouth.

"You stole from a Malfoy. How dare y-" His mouth was filled l with a strip of spare-rib, the rest of the bone dumped on his plate. "Hmm, this is good."

"Hmm, hmm." She chose a chicken wing, nibbling the meat off the tiny bones loudly, and quickly picking up a second because those delicious things were so small and devoured in a jiffy. But she nearly choked on a piece, when she saw Draco trying to pick the bone by using only two forefingers and biting it holding his face as distantly as possible.

"Oh bloody hell, here…" She cradled his cheeks with her filthy hands, "Now you can cry over your greasy face. There…" A finger drew a line of fat over his forehead, "I must not skip a spot. Nor this one, and that one, oh and this one as well…" Not even his nose was spared, every corner of his face was covered, and the tip was the last missing piece.

The people sharing their table snickered at Draco's dumbfound features, though no one misunderstood his promising glare. This brunette was playing with grey blazing fire. A battle that was to be fought most probably outside their view, though the chemistry was so palpable that even a blind man could see it.

"Your wife is playing with fire, friend." One said at his left.

The bloke's spouse interjected, "Honey, his wife knows perfectly what a beast she holds in her hands. My vote goes to her." A female consensus rose in the air.

A man hinted Draco to the ketchup bottle after serving himself of a royal squeeze over his sausage. The blond drawled, reaching in the meantime to the tomato container and filling his palm with the sauce, "Ohhh love of my life…" rubbing the hands to spread the content evenly.

Hermione looked up from her chicken wing, faced him, and gasped. He didn't spread his goody, like she had, as a painter applying strokes over his canvas. No, Draco chose to flatten both hands all over her face, moving them up and down, fingers spread wide. There was ketchup on her eyelids, a wet spot at her nostrils, and at the roots of hair at her forehead plus just above her ears.

"Girl, if I were you, I would kick his arse!" A dark-haired lady suggested while the Gryffindor scraped ketchup from her face with slow movements, cleaning her fingers on a napkin. The glares she sent Draco had him fearing her retaliation for a second before he realised that she was unable to use her wand, his heartbeat calmed for just a fraction of a second.

"Mate, if your balls survive this, consider yourself a lucky bastard." Draco barely paid attention to the remark. Instead, he kept a close eye on Hermione's movements anticipating a run for his life. He didn't fear it, though. He embraced it. This fiery side of his witch appealed to his Slytherin unlike any other.

The hunt was about to begin.

His seeker's reflexes saved his skin from immediate imprisonment. Draco jumped off his bench like a tiger and ran off at a fast pace, slithering like a snake left to right over the sand, while ditching his shoes, towards the shore. Her shouted hails pursued him as he ran barefoot over the hot grains, the sound of his boisterous laugh carried by the wind.

Hermione ran fast but couldn't catch up with his strong legs, so after letting her chase him for a few meters, Draco spun on his axis while running, and slowed down enough for her to overtake him. In the distance, he noticed the cheering and cackling, but his focus was on his witch. How her face switched between fake anger and pure exhilaration.

Hermione never stopped, not one to concede readily. Instead, she crashed frontally into him when she finally closed the distance and pushed him towards the water showering the blond with hands full of seawater, before she used both palms to make him fall.

He came above for a breather, but she gave him no time to recover, crashing full body on top of him. Draco struck back, spinning underwater with his arms around her, raising her high in the air by arms and legs, to send her flying into an incoming wave.

Their assaults on one another continued until they fell in each other's arms, bellies shaking with laughter. Draco gave her no room to rethink things, claiming her lips in a wet kiss, a hand cradling her head and the fingers raking through her curls, while his arm snaked around her waist to close the nearly nonexistent space between them.

The brown in her eyes gleamed alive, mirroring his grey stare. The loud applause from their audience never registered, nor the fact that they behaved like teenagers. Laughing between their embraces was more important, hands touching every corner possible, even more.

Draco caught a handful of water, to clean with soft rubs the little traces of tomato sauce away, on her temple and where her hair began. In return, she traced every corner of his face to make sure no greasy spots had survived the multiple dives, snaking her arms around his neck satisfied with the outcome of her little research.

"I love you." Her heart beat in her throat, gleaming with that strong emotion she had come to believe impossible in her life. She and Ron had had their good times, some silly instants included. So had any other wizards she dated before the wishful flame died out, by lack of interest. What she experienced however with Draco was so much stronger. To be silly was okay, to be serious and discuss mature issues was also okay. She was herself at his side, the bookworm, the good-mood witch and, when the time called for it, the seductive woman.

She stopped asking herself if this was a possible relationship, to ponder about their future together once they arrived in Southampton. Would they search for a place to share the rest of their lives, or would one move in with the other? How were Harry and the others going to react as she off-boarded the Arcadia holding Draco's hand? What about his friends, how much of a surprise was it going to be? He wasn't her dirty secret, and she wanted to make it clear from the first moment.

He returned her sentiment, "I love you more." Draco took her bottom lip between his teeth, "You brighten up my days in a way I never expected." His tongue invaded her warm mouth, tasting the last bits of the chicken marinara, mixed with her own essence. "I'm behaving like a fifteen-year-old, and I don't give a knut about it."

"I'm no different." Hermione giggled, "We should pick up our stuff and seek our place on the beach before others take the best spots."

"We can't accio them, unfortunately. You choose our spot, I'll grab your bag." He laced his fingers with hers and stepped through the water determined, leaving her behind after a short peck on her lips.

He sprinted to where they sat previously, closing his fingers around the straps of her bag.

"Buddy, you have quite a woman there." One said, his voice carrying nothing but admiration. Male and female alike hummed in agreement. "Your wife is amazing."

"We're not married." Draco looked around, with curled lips.

"If I were you, I wouldn't wait too long to snatch this woman before another bloke steals her." The same older man remarked, pointing his glass towards the brunette.

"I'm working on that aspect." Draco didn't dispute if he was going or not to propose to Hermione. His mind was made up, the certainty solidifying his heart's desire becoming stronger by the day. His only doubt concerned the moment, the perfect opportunity to pose the question.

He was entirely confident about one aspect: it wouldn't happen before Brisbane with him restoring the understanding between her parents and his witch. As soon as that dust was settled, it came down to finding the perfect occasion. Salazar knew how many times he already regretted asking his mother to annul the existing ceremony. The details about colours of centrepieces and such frivolities were easily changed with a flick of a wand, as was the name of the bride, after all. But he didn't want to waste more than the necessary time to add his family name to hers - knowing his witch the way he knew her by now, she was going to hyphenate it anyway - which also had its perks, he could keep calling her Granger.

He held up a goodbye hand, returning to where he saw Hermione sit down. As if he was an expert, he took their beach towels out, shook and spread them copying her example as much as he could, including the small sandy pillow. It made her smirk, "Ten points to Slytherin, you memorised it flawlessly."

"I always aimed to be the best student at Hogwarts." His smug features made her fingers itch to wipe it off his face. "But, there was a bushy-haired witch who kept stealing my spotlight."

"I'm not entering a battle of wits, pumpkin. It's an unfair fight." She crawled over his body to reach into the bag and take out her novel. "I'm rubbing off on you, I see, your next goal has become the next know-it-all, isn't it?"

"I don't sugarcoat shit, I'm not Honeydukes." He pinched her side, and she yelped, "Now quit the flirting because we're not in a place to summon a notice-me-not. We've been noticed."

"Is my dragon feeling horny?" Her face went from cheeky to smug and devilishly seductive, lips pursing in synch with her waggling eyebrows. The only constant was the twinkle in her eye.

"Ah woman, you've been teasing this dragon for quite a while now." His hand sought his wand, casting behind her bag a muttered disillusionment on his nether regions, the shorts were tenting. But one idea brought another forth, and he threw a few spells in sequence to disguise their movements, and at the same time, keep the sand grains at bay. He didn't want to hurt her while putting his plan at work.

"I have a tame dragon." She spoke mindlessly, thumbing for the next page.

"You know there's no such thing as a tame dragon, right." The tip of his forefinger traced an invisible path, starting from the shoulder, till the elbow, crossing the distance to draw circles on her diaphragm.

She swatted his hand, "You're tickling, stop it."

"Do tame dragons whisper in your ear all the dirty stuff they plan to do to your delicious body?" He returned his digits to their earlier spot, detouring the path towards the edge of her bikini. "Like, they will spread your entrance so a finger can rub the velvety inside of your pussy?"

Hermione shivered, "Stop talking like that, we're not in the right place to play such games…" Her legs rubbed to ease the tingling at her nub.

"First, it will be my longest finger, the one that can reach all the way down until furthermore is impossible." Said digit lowered to the apex, stroking her nether lips over the fabric. Her moaned plead to stop his torture was conveniently ignored. "My finger will slide effortlessly because your walls are already soaking wet. At first, alone inside your heat entering excruciatingly slow, until it feels lonely and begs for a second companion to rub that spongy spot which makes you hiss every time I touch it. I'll draw one circle, then a second, again at a slow pace to savour how your pussy contracts around my digits. Your juices will coat them, and flow between your thighs, because I will search for that point that makes your squirt, and I'll tease it until you surrender."

Her breath came in short spurts, eyes full of need while pleading to him, "Draco, don't do this please...we're visible…" his wondering hand was imprisoned between her thighs, with his finger sliding up and down her folds. Her mind was overloaded with the images he created with his words, "Please Draco…"

He kept her gaze in his fixed, taking in the sight of her red face, "I'll take care of you, trust me. His fingers found their way under her knickers and spreading her lips, he dipped the tip of one through her entrance, thrusting all the way in, and putting his words into deeds. "Do you feel it? Do you feel my middle finger all the way down?"

"Hmm hmm." He was robbing her from her senses, words didn't come to mind only moans and whimpers.

"You're so scorching hot, love. I feel my skin burn." He pumped, redrawing the finger fully to thrust it immediately back inside, loving the way her opening clenched around the tip so it wouldn't leave its walls. "Should I add the second, princess?" Draco smirked huskily at her hopeless nod, satisfying her need within seconds, "How does it feel, do you feel filled to the brim?"

Hermione shook her head. Her hand had sought support around his neck. Kneading the flesh of his column and showing him exactly what he was doing to her. Her breath stoked, and her hips rose in the air, feeling arrows of arousal in response to the circling of her inner bundle of nerves. A whisper left her lips, "Draco…"

"Shht, feel love. Feel what I'm doing to your pussy, how I'm tormenting you until your quim soaks my hand, and floods my fingers with your honey while the ripples of your orgasm tighten around them."

"Fuck...Draco...oh shit." She felt a wave of wetness, "They can see us."

"Do you truly believe I would expose you to foreign eyes?" He kept rubbing the spot adding a third digit for more pressure, "I told you to trust me." Draco increased his pace, hand no longer resting against her pubic bone but pistoning inside her quim, "I love to hear your cunt squelch while I finger you. Do you know how hard I am? How my cock is aching to rut into you and release my cum deep into your womb?"

"Oh Draco…" she whined.

"I'll tell you my deepest secret...I want my come…" he could feel how near she was, so tight she was clenching around his hand, her breath leaving her mouth in spurts, "I want my come to create a life inside you. I want your womb to carry my son under your heart, to see your lovely tits feed him your precious milk, and when he's old enough, I want to repeat it all over for a daughter, and another son…"

"Dra…co!" Her nails pressed deep his back, he was sure that she was drawing blood, but hell, speaking out loud his desire to start a family with her was bringing him almost over the edge in his own swimming trunks.

"Come for me, princess, so I can shove my dick into your pussy and piston until I come inside your walls, love...I'm so close…" she muffled her cry on his shoulder as she came, her mind a blurry mess following his words and the hand that never ceased fingering her hard.

"Oh gods, Draco." Hermione panted but let him turn her on her left side, and pull a leg over his own, shoving enough fabric aside on both of them to thrust in one move into her heat. His left arm rested under her head and caressed her breast.

"Fuck, I'm not going to last…" he growled. Her quim enveloped his cock in a soft vice hold, and it took all his strength not to lose his load right on the spot. "I love to have my shaft inside you, princess...fuck...I can't hold it…fuck…"

His hands pressed her underbelly hard against his groin to bury himself the deepest while he came. The heavy slapping of flesh against flesh mixed with his grunts and whines, female hands pulling and twisting her nipples to increase her pleasure.

Draco kissed her wherever his lips could reach, her shoulder, the column of her neck, her mouth as she faced him. Her tears stilled his last jerks, "Have I hurt you?"

"You can't say such things and expect me not to react emotionally, Draco. You can't whisper in my ear that you want me to be your children's mother as think it doesn't affect my heart." She closed her eyes while choking on her words.

"You don't want to be their mother?" An icy feel covered his heavily beating heart, fearing to read her wrong.

"I want nothing more in this world, Draco. An adorable toddler combining our best and worst qualities. The perfect little human being, ours." She spun on her axis and covered his open mouth with her lips, a kiss mixed with her tears.

His pale hands covered her face in seconds, thumbs rubbing her cheekbone, while he conveyed his love for her in that one embrace. Those other words were on the tip of his tongue, eager to pose the question, but his sense of duty, that debt he wanted to repay in the only way possible stood heavily in the way; working as the best method to keep his mouth shut.

Her common sense kicked in, "Once we get our lives together sorted out, nothing stands in its way. Her suggestion met his approving nod between the constant snuggling. "Draco, are you sure we weren't visible?" It still nagged in the back of her head.

"The lack of trust in my magical talent hurts me, princess. I'm capable enough to cast a decent disillusionment charm which showed the outside world a couple enjoying some sunshine at the beach." He huffed, pulling his swimming shorts over his hips, "Plus, my muffliato ensured your moans remained silent, and a bubble prevented the sand from crawling close to your pussy and hurting your delicate skin."

"Forgive me for doubting, I never heard you cast the spells." She pushed him back onto the towel and curled around his body, head resting just above his heart.

"I don't need to scream to cast a spell, woman. Neither do you." He pinched her side. "Let's enjoy the rest of our time before we have to join the others and continue our journey."

* * *

 **I'll return asap, as I enjoying some vacay with my family. Don't worry, I'm not abandoning any of my stories. Reviews make me smile :D**


	28. Still Thirty-Six

**Freshly beta'ed by my dear Magzillasaurus**

* * *

 **Still Thirty-Six**

Like a teenager who got caught doing down the walk-of-shame, Hermione re-entered the bus after their little beach encounter, blushing the entire pathway until she found her seat. Behind her was a puffed-up wizard, who even high-fived a man or two while crossing. The first time she noticed it too late, but the second time she rolled her eyes at the display, receiving a more full grin in return.

Where the majority of the passengers assumed to see a man who eluded to a naughty thought, Hermione saw a wizard who told her wordlessly that their beach-shag wouldn't be a one-time event if it were up to him. _Men…_

Safely protected by an anti-bump charm, a sticky charm and a few others Draco added to her whispered pile, they enjoyed the ride south-bound towards the Arcadia. They drove through green roads, trees and vegetation of all kinds surrounding the way. There wasn't much to spot of civilisation aside from the worn-out concrete.

The guide brought them to another waterfall, one which they couldn't get close to this time.

"Holy Merlin, I wonder how deep it goes." Draco stood by the very edge of the platform to look below.

"Will you take a few steps back? You're too close to the edge for my taste." She stood several feet away from the end, not keen to look and see how deep the ravine was. Yet between the rainforest on the opposite side, a thundering rumble sounded in the distance as a cascade of water fell five-hundred feet down into a deep gorge created by a volcanic crater. A misty rain only added to the astonishing view.

"Don't be scared, nothing can happen." He even leaned further over the railing and spreading his arms, bouldering at her scared whimper.

"Draco, you bloody ferret, the other side is almost three-hundred thirty feet high, this side isn't so far off, can't you stop terrifying me?" Hermione scowled and returned to the bus, planning a little surprise for the taunting wizard. "Oh, go to hell! You love me to scare the shit out of me."

He saw her return, all riled up and arms swinging in the air, the one sight that made him roll his eyes and smirk. _He stood on a safe platform_ , he thought, _only a lunatic would cross over the metal bars to stand on the bare edge. This was a storm in a teacup, not even worth the fuss._

Yet, Draco took his time to admire the waterfall. Not only to let his witch cool off her ire but also to take some shots while wishing he had the Firebolt on hand for some breathtaking close-up shots.

After a few moments, he re-entered the bus together with a bloke, spotting her pouting face already from a distance. Holding the bars between seats, he leaned for a kiss but met empty space. _Oh, well…_ Shrugging, he folded into his seat but stood right back up. His arse stung. "Auch, woman." A second and third try was useless, as she kept firing jinxes to his arse each time he tried to take his seat. "Cut it out, will you?"

Hermione stared him straight in the eye while firing a new invisible bite, "You make fun of my fear of seeing you fall, Draco."

"Unless someone pushed me over the railing, I was perfectly safe. C'mon witch, the platform stands on solid ground, my feet were steady; I'm no clumsy block, damn it. You worry too much, and you'll get grey hair prematurely if you continue like this." He ticked her nose, "Turn off the scowl, Hermione before you develop wrinkles."

"Hmpf." Crossing her arms Hermione ignored him further, looking out the window and neglecting each attempt from her attention-seeking wizard.

"Your woman is just like mine, pouting for a little nothing." The man on the other side of the aisle rolled his eyes, "Let her stew in her own juices for a minute or two, she'll be crawling back to you in no time."

This manly-advice was far from appreciated by his wife and Hermione, both women swirling their heads towards the man and sending him killing daggers with their eyes. The wife retorted, "It will be a lonely night on your couch, sweetheart. Your wife is kicking you out of bed. Let us see who crawls back fast…"

 _Fuck,_ a moment's thought crossed Draco's mind, grey eyes keeping watch for threatening signs, but it was silent from the Gryffindor's corner, not that it was much better.

Hermione kept her nose almost against the window, faking full attention to the outside view. However, her focus was on the fingers that rubbed her arm, or when his entire upper body leaned over her to look at one or another tropical tree, though his gaze was more on her face than on the nature outside.

He was not the type of wizard who allowed his witch to ignore him so easily. He pressed little kisses on her shoulder, moving her straps out of the way to that purpose. His open hand rubbed the soft belly in tantalising circles, the thumb ghosting at a timely pace under the curve of her bosom.

Much against her wishes, a corner of her mouth curved up. "Stop it." Hermione swatted the tickling hand away from her right side, the tone missing the irritation she wanted to convey, it sounded more like contained laughter.

His breath tickled warm against her earlobe, "Am I sleeping on the couch, darling?"

It took every single ounce of strength to seethe instead of snicker, "I don't know it yet...I'm still incredibly angry with you for scaring me." The eyebrows frowned into an attempt at an angry face except that the laughing wrinkles around her eyes gave her away.

He sat straighter on his seat, "If you repeat it seriously this time, I might believe it." In the distance, the harbour came into sight, drawing both their attention to the open sea. Draco pointed out to a vessel on the water, "Mia, isn't that our ship?"

"Yes, I think it's the Arcadia." Distracted by the romantic sight of their boat on the bay under the sunlight, she leaned against his frame seeking comfort.

He smiled smugly but bit back a remark, choosing instead to wrap his arms around her waist and pull her closer, his chin finding its usual spot on her shoulder, "It still surprises me how such a heavy vessel can stay above water."

"It's called Physics...Muggles have researched everything about forces and their consequences, I don't think we have a similar subject at Hogwarts. I've never heard a thing about gravity or the influences of speed from one of our teachers. We do have Potions which you can compare to the Muggle's Chemistry field." She murmured, nesting deeper between his arms, a single finger stroking his arm absentmindedly.

While her gaze remained on the harbour and the village's cityscape in the distance; his eyes were focused on her face, a kiss or two pressed against her earlobe, "Hmm, Potions I know, and I excelled at it, chemistry is what we do in bed or anywhere else…like on a beach or under a shower..."

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Your mind is always in the gutter, it's really a one-way street." At this, she caved completely, and her stomach rumbled of laughter. Behind her, a beaming wizard holding her impossibly closer to him, proud he broke through her fences. He knew by now what made her tick.

-oOo-

The group was about to board the Arcadia.

The wife from the smart-arse passenger came to her, "I wish my Franky were half as romantic as your Dra-co…?" The name was pronounced a little cautiously, unsure if it was said correctly. "He's quite a catch, you know?"

"I'm well aware of it...but if I tell it to him too often, it rises to his head." The women shared a chuckle. "It's two men then: him and his pride walking next to him side-by-side."

"Still it's a tit for tat, girl. You must praise the man, so he keeps coming back for more praise by showing you his best side. However, your bloke can't hide his pride for you, it's stronger than in himself."

At this, Hermione stopped, "Pride?"

Draco turned his head to figure out why she pulled his hand, but she waved him to go ahead. The blond slipped a curious glance but walked further, accepting Franky's invitation for a beer at the pool bar halfway.

The red-haired woman let the men create some distance before nodding frantically. "Yes girl, pride. Someone remarked at lunch what an incredible woman you were, and you should have seen his face!" Both hands flew in the air, shaking, "It simply glowed of pride! Yes...pride, I can't describe it otherwise. Honestly, I don't know if my Franky would sound so charmed if it came to me."

Hermione felt the need to respond, "I'm far from ashamed to be seen with him, to be honest. He and I had quite a few things to overcome, our past wasn't easy, but now we've sorted our things out and decided to be together, well…"

"You feel more feminine now with such a good-looking man at your side-" The woman completed the witches' sentence, while both followed their counterparts towards the bar at a slower pace.

"Not only good-looking, but he's also smart and sassy, considerate, intelligent, athletic..." Hermione forgot that she barely knew the woman, lost in her listing.

"Darling, you're perfect for each other! Don't you dare to say no if he ever pops the question!" The woman rose her finger.

"Propose?" For the second time in last than two minutes, Hermione was rendered speechless.

"Someone made the suggestion, yes, and he looked as if he already made up his mind about it." It came out whispered, just like gossip.

"You've must have been wrong, we're barely a month together." All sorts of feelings invaded Hermione's heart. She stopped walking, shoved a curl behind her ear with a shaky hand, her gaze going from Draco's presence a few feet ahead to the woman in front of her.

"Tell me, girl, is there a thing like a set of rules about the perfect timing when to ask someone to be your wife? How long you have to date before you can consider marriage?" Diana nudged her shoulder, "Lady, if the feelings are good now, they won't get better after two years of dating, believe me. My Franky and I were barely three weeks together when he came to me and said: ' _Diana, I know you're the one, marry me!_ ' I didn't need to think twice, and we're ten years married now, without a moment of doubt. I have a great friend who dated her ex-boyfriend for three years because they wanted to wait and be sure, ending up breaking up." The woman grabbed her hair to pull it into a ponytail, "My mother always said, if it's good now, it will remain good."

Diana wanted to step further, but Hermione held her up. "Our past is the complete opposite of our present." Her heart beat in her throat. She was certain of her feelings for him, not afraid of a future together beyond this cruise nevertheless, yet she always doubted if he felt the same way; no matter how much she fought it, she still feared him shoving her away.

The woman shrugged, "Then to me, you've known him at his worst and his best. If he's that bad, why are you still sleeping in his bed?"

Hermione stalled, "I...I…"

"You love him. The man who wakes up next to you every morning is a man you love today, not the prick you knew in the past. Sounds to me as easy as A-B-C. Or is there another bloke in England waiting for you to return?"

Hermione shook her head, affronted, "No! I wouldn't do such a thing!"

A shoulder rose, "Stop overthinking things, woman, let your heart guide you. I'm Diana McBride by the way."

A hand was extended and shaken, distractedly, "Hermione Granger."

"What's his name again? Draco?"

"Yes, Draco Malfoy."

"Ah, soon it will be Hermione Malfoy. Name your first born after me, girl."

At this, Hermione broke in a peal of laughter, "Draco's family has a tradition of naming girls after flowers and constellations."

"You're a modern girl, I'm certain you'll find a way to sneak in Diana or even Di somewhere." The woman pushed Hermione into movement by the shoulder, "Now let us join those two before my Frank teaches your Draco bad manners."

* * *

 **My dear readers,**

 **It has been a heavy month of April. First I took a family vacay to Harry Potter land, then a series of choir concerts including intense rehearsals set back my intention to write. Plus I'm struggling a little with sea days, I don't want to fall in repeat, but those make me block a little.**

 **Thank you for your patience and continued support, they mean the world to me.**


	29. Day Thirty-Seven

**I've taken a look at the numbers and WOW! So many followers, reviewers, and support! I can't thank you enough, you and my dear Magzillasaurus for her beta work. Enjoy the Aqua-gym!**

* * *

 **Day Thirty-Seven**

* **Thirty-Six part three** *

The knowledge of Draco's mindset changed her spirit tremendously; no matter how much she wanted to push it into the background, it kept crawling back to the forefront. During the little thing at the bar, during dinner at the Meridian and while they were soaking away today's sweat in a foamy bath.

"Something bothering you, love?" The object of her mind-troubles rubbed his thumb over her cheek after he turned her face to him. She was unusually silent for her doing, and he wondered if she was still ruminating about the waterfall incident.

"No, just overthinking things as usual." Hermione gave him a watery smile, "You know me…"

He tickled her a specific point on her neck, "Is this the turn-off button?"

She jerked, laughing, sending a wave of water over the edge, "No...haha...stop Draco...please…oh, shit...damn it! Have mercy!" He kept tickling to raise her spirits and shut down whatever was disturbing her.

"A Slytherin gives no mercy. Will you stop overloading that brain of yours? Whatever you're worrying about, it will sort itself out. Share it with me so I can help you."

"Nah...just something Diana said." Her face flushed while she sought an excuse to divert his attention. Grabbing the loofah, she caught his leg lathering it with a thick layer of bubbles.

"She reminded me of Potterette with her red hair." Content with the attention of his leg, he offered the other limb for equal treatment.

"She did…" Hermione chuckled, "But Ginny's hair looks more on fire than Diana's. We should get out of the water, your fingers are wrinkling."

"You don't want to share your bothers?" He saw right through her, his witches' suggestion was instead a subtle change of subject than concern for shrivelled fingers. Standing up with her, he grabbed a fluffy towel to dry her first, then him.

"Nothing important, Draco." She pulled lacy nighty over the head after stepping into a pair of knickers. He chose to wear only sleeping shorts in bed.

Nestled between the sheets, the last kiss was shared before sleep took over, at least for him. Hermione faked closed eyes, slowing down her breath as if she was also resting with his bicep as a pillow. Once the little snore came to life, the sign that he was out like a light, she turned in his arms and subjected his face to an in-depth assessment.

A single pack of hair fell before over the brows, and she shoved it away, admiring in the meantime the laugh wrinkles at the edge of his eyes, the perfectly curled eyelashes - as if he was a Michelangelo creation.

 _Mrs. Malfoy_ … or _Mrs. Granger-Malfoy_. Either way, both resonated with her awakening a glowing feeling inside her heart instead of disgust. It was like Diana suggested, if he popped the question, her answer wouldn't be a denial. Yet, she had to watch out for dreaming too much ahead, because what if Diana had it wrong and misinterpreted Draco's reaction? She had to take some gas back before she got away with fantasies and ending up empty-handed just like with her previous wizards…

Going back to reality without Draco in it? The idea frosted her heart colder than an iceberg. _Why wasn't she better at Legillimens?_

*Day Thirty-Seven*

Aqua-Gym.

Who knew that exercising in the water was so damn complicated? Swimming lengths was a piece of cake, but walking in water? Not so much.

Claiming more than half of the big pool, the large group of women entered the water giggling in excitement beforehand, Hermione included. A few men like Draco joined the group more to do their counterparts a favor than for their personal satisfaction, the majority oblivious to what awaited them.

The first impression for the blond wizard threw him back to the memories of the clip-dancing lesson, a few weeks ago.

The pumped-up music yelling in the air raised the blond's spirit, who warmed up under the given instructions, scissoring the legs or stretching the arms in the front, shoving as much water as possible to your neighbour ahead of you. But as Angelo started to shout commands as ' _shake that booty, people'... 'let us make it wet around us',_ and Merlin only knew what else, Draco found his personal opinion of exercising inside a big pool a little less impressive than before. Somehow, each time the wizard heard one of those lewd remarks he spotted the beefed-up guy staring at him. _Why couldn't the tennis girl lead this class?_

Hermione did giggle at Draco's uneasiness towards Angelo - the two allies exchanging a conspiratorial wink - but she grew used to the coach's antics and loved the way he mentored a lesson. So her giggles were partially at Draco's discomfort but also because she had a thrill dipping under water when she had to scissor her legs or jump up and down. On the contrary of Draco, she barely had footing, it was the toes only that touched the bottom.

At some point, the Italian coach passed these big sausages around - calling them swim noodles - until everyone had a foamy tube in their hands. Following the instructions and fighting a weird battle with the damn thing, the wizard finally succeeded into changing it in a pretzel of sorts, discovering that it did its job just like the weight bar at the fitness room. Pushing the noodle into the water required more force than one initially would think.

No matter how much he loved to have her around, his devilish side was never far, and he mocked her struggling to push the godforsaken pretzel below water, "Where are your muscles, princess? See what I mean, that bird food gives no energy to consume, lovely? Eat some eggs with bacon next time..."

She gritted her teeth panting, "This isn't a walk in the park for you either, pumpkin." Hermione's ponytail dripped water, from going under one too many times. As if the devil himself planned it, the noodle did a salto in the air, nearly collided with her nose and shoved a wave of water into her open mouth while she yelped from the scare. A coughing attack followed promptly.

Grinning widely at the display, Draco showed-off, "Watch me!" He took care to flex his biceps extra tight while dipping the tube in the water, "As easy as riding a bro-bike…" amending just in time his train of thought.

The dirty remark on Hermione's lips was drowned out by Angelo's next command, "Now I want you to put the swim noodle between your legs."

"Huh?" Draco eyed the tube warily but followed reluctantly Hermione's example, minus the probably twentieth dip underwater. "I don't like this thing so close to my..."

"Don't whine so much, babe. Get used to losing to me, darling, I'll beat you in the race to the other side." Holding the noodle steady with both hands, the witch leaned back on the rear end of the tube, batting her eyelashes, though she ended up flipping hundred-eighty degrees once again, "Argh…"

"You were saying?" Draco caught her hand to help her above the water, though his belly shook from laughing. "Fuck, Hermione, this shit is too close to my balls, I don't like it one bit." He kept shifting, so his crown jewels didn't feel squashed against the foamy structure, but the move almost made him lose balance a few times, barely avoiding a dive like his girl.

"Pedal as if you were on a bike and move forward, people!" Angelo shouted the start sign, "Let your arms help you move forward! C'mon, be the first to reach the edge! Hop! Hop! I want to see you panting, ladies and my brave blond stud!"

The challenge appealed to him, but Draco felt really dumb between all the ladies; realising thanks to his biggest male admirer, that he was the only bloke left. _Ha...fuck, this stupid thing is too close to my nether regions... my balls are suffering… why did I agree to this imbecilic activity, for Salazar's sake?_

He won easily against Hermione, with a length of distance but decided to call it quits, before his Slytherin pride would suffer an extra dent if forced to do more ridiculous movements. _Most likely my best decision for today,_ thought the wizard, as Angelo pushed his herd of women into swimming only by the arms to the opposite side.

Splashing, laughing and coughing, the women did as told, under the loud cheers from their other halves, "C' mon love, move those arms!" He taunted her while following her struggle; pacing alongside the pool edge, "You can do it, love… Hey, Gryffindor of mine, you're falling behind, lady! It's so unworthy of a lioness! Hop, you go! And one...and two...and three..."

Her gaze carried a warning look, but he wasn't in the slightest troubled by it. Taunting her was his reward, a little payback for making him join such an absurd lesson, _imagine if any of his Slytherin mates were here to witness_ …

Yet, he would check the schedule for more of these Aqua-Gyms and persuade her to join them, the way her tits jiggled each time she jumped, was a sight to behold.

-oOo-

"And, are we doing the fire-walking demonstration tomorrow?" He couldn't witness any longer how hard she was pulling on her tresses and snatched the comb from her grip, straddling the lounger behind her to take over her job detangling her knots with a much softer approach. "My lioness has no patience, I see…"

Smiling covertly, she hid from him how she was mistreating her hair on purpose so he would take over. The way he took care of her hair, with his slow movements always watching that he didn't pull too hard, it felt like heaven, intense relaxation. Instinctively, she leaned back with a moan. "Do I sense a snake who would love to test his pain limits thanks to flames under his feet?"

"Technically, a snake has no feet." He leaned forward to bite her lobe, delighting in the way she was melting against his chest, totally turning to putty from his ministrations.

"The activity ends with shopping... I'm just saying…" Inching the booklet closer with the aid of her feet, she managed to get it on her lap and open it to the right section, "It's a folkloric show about the legends and the history of the Fiji islands, demonstrated by tribesmen. Won't it be boring for you?"

"At next port, Port Vila, we can do an introductory scuba diving lesson, and that spikes my sense of adventure enough to compensate for the lack of activity at Lautoka… but they speak about finding Nemo at this Port Vila excursion… what is that?" The comb was set away, but the hands moved to the shoulders, drawing tantalising circles on her soft skin. He wasn't quite ready to release her from her position.

Hermione moaned, staring dreamingly into the sky while a bird or two passed through, "I've read something about an animated movie that will be released this year, Finding Nemo, I wonder if there's a connection. It includes fish, but that's all I know…"

"Animated movie? What kind of beast is that?" He accio'ed the cinema programming, "Is that you want to watch tonight at the Globe?"

"No, tonight's viewing is a thriller, Panic Room. It's highly praised according to the critics." She pointed at the short reviews.

"I'm lost, lecture me please on the difference between animated and thrillers?" He leaned slightly away to face her fully. The entire subject seemed like Mandarin to him.

"Like in books, you have different types of movies…" She taught like in old times, turning around inside his cradling arms.

"Yes, my mother loves those juicy romantic novels, full of overly romantic blokes with no ounce of respect for male pride. I like an adventure one if I'm not reading anything academic."

Shaking her head, she refrained from commenting. There's nothing wrong with wishing for a little fluff in your life. "Well, thrillers are like crime novels, where they keep the suspense until the end, get it?" Stealing his glass of cola, she sipped, "Animated movies are like moving cartoons."

"Cartoons?" It was getting weirder by the minute, though the concept of a thriller triggered this curiosity.

"Ah...cartoons are stories told through drawings. I have a few at home, Harry might have some from his time at the Dursleys. Animated movies are a series of cartoons created by Muggle artists, shown so quickly that you can see them move…" Her hands motioned in circles, it was hard to describe a thing that if seen would make sense in a heartbeat.

He grabbed her hips and set her straighter on the lounger, heading inside their room to refill his glass - wondering at the same time why she kept stealing his drink instead of sipping her own, just a hand's length away. "So these cartoons come to life because you move them very fast?"

He barely took a sip before his glass was stolen once more. "What's yours is mine, remember?" Hermione huffed when he didn't give up his drink straight away.

"Did we seal a vow I don't know about?" He looked at her from beneath his eyelashes. "Stealing from a Malfoy is a first-degree felony." This time, he straddled the lounger facing her, standing literally before her sunlight.

"Blah blah blah, there's the Malfoy law again, only evoked when it fits your need." Her hand snapped open and close as if he chatted too much.

"Are you making fun of me?" The grey stare was her first warning, the enclosing of his thighs around her the second.

"I wouldn't dare." Hermione readied for whatever came next; she would never grow tired of fooling around with him, anyway.

He promised, "Tomorrow, I'll drag you personally through the firestones! See if you can deal with burning feet, witch!"

She was twisting in his hold, falling prey to his tickling. The loud screams that were heard below deck caught the attention of several passersby towards a balcony they couldn't look into. Nevertheless, it made everyone laugh at her fun.

"Argh, Draco! Stop! Damn you...please!"


	30. Day Thirty-Eight

**Drops quietly this freshly beta'ed chapter (thank you, my sweet Magzillasaurus). Awaits from behind the door for your reactions. See below for more notes**

* * *

 **Day Thirty-Eight**

Her travel guide stated that Lautoka's name derived from a battle cry, meaning 'spear-hit'. When she described it during breakfast, Draco had an epiphany, "Imagine your Potter crying _Lau Toka_ after he yelled his Expelliarmus and saw Lord Voldemort fall dead."

"Well, it's technically impossible, Draco." Lecture-Hermione made an appearance, including tilting of the chin, high-rised eyebrows and pouting lips, "He didn't stab him to death, he disarmed him from his wand…"

Across from her, a pale hand waved, "Technicalities, pff, a minor detail… or wait, it should be _Magicum Inflicto._ Hmm, no... it sounds too big, let me shorten it up… wand-hit... _Mag-infli_ , that's it! _Mag-infli_ … haha!" He almost knocked on his chest from pride, humping on his chair of fun.

Later as they admired the nearing of their destination, Hermione remarked, "You surprise me with your creative mind, a little more and you'll begin to write poetry." As usual, she stood at the nose of the Arcadia, holding the railing for the best viewing spot.

"If the Daily Prophet gets a whiff of what you've just said, I'll make you pay dearly for it." The whispered menacing tone only created a delicious tingle in her spine, instead of instigating fear, not that it surprised Draco much, lately. The benefits between the sheets counteracted the lack of submission, and he preferred it this way.

"The city is also known as the sugar city…" She kept mentioning the introductory page.

"Now we're talking, why is that? They produce a lot of candy, perhaps?" Draco was once more all ears, his sweet tooth legendary. Holding out a hand, he waited for her fingers to curl around before heading out towards the exit.

"I see your eyes tingle at the prospect." She giggled, "I'm afraid to disappoint you. It seems that sugar cane is its major industry."

They had one hour free before the shuttle bus would pick them up towards the Westin Denarau Island Resort to watch their show. They used it to wander around the craft market, where a man was weaving the leaves from a coconut palm into a hat, and an indigenous woman offered them spices and other herbal mixtures. Hermione coughed after sniffing something spicy, hitting her wizard when he broke in laughter as he spotted her with tears.

Nothing new to Hermione anyway...

-oOo-

Comfortably sitting in one of the 2-person wicker chairs arranged in a half circle, under a welcome sun-shading grass roof, Hermione glanced sideways at her wizard who kept hiding his face behind his palm chuckling the entire time and effectively ruining her genuine interest for the _Meke_ ceremony demonstration.

Draco tried to pull himself together, coughing before taking a deep breath and holding his features in place, but soon he would break into a new fit of laughter, muffled by a hand while the other hid his eyes from an elder sitting next to him. He knew his shins were a shade of blue from the many kicks he received from Hermione - stretching his legs further away didn't stop the torture, as she changed her form of pain from foot to a probing finger in an attempt to force him to stop laughing.

Yet, to no avail.

Instead of enjoying the tribal dances performed by half-naked tanned-skinned men, dressed in long grass skirts and faces adorned with black paintings, the blond pictured his good friend Blaise in a similar skirt, hopping from foot to foot, releasing guttural war-like screams and threatening with long spears.

When the act alternated with the tribal women, equally dressed in green grass skirts over long pants and short-sleeved blouses, he was able to regain some composure. But, as soon as the men took the stage - in reality, the stage was a grass field in the middle of their half-circle arena of this paradisiacal hotel - his control went down the drain once more.

"You'll be sleeping alone if you don't stop making fun of these people." Hell, if she was sharing a new cultural activity with him… seeing her concern come to reality: he was bored to death. She would be forcing him to chose something else if another cultural excursion was planned. Each chuckle coming from him embarrassed her even more.

"I'm not making fun...haha...I'm so sorry…oh, shit..." The men jumped wide-leg barking cries while slamming their fists on the knees. The front-guy was similarly built like Blaise, and Draco felt the need to hide his face inside the collar of his shirt, unable to prevent the shaking of his shoulders.

"What do you call it then? I should have left you in the boat, Draco." Annoyed as hell, she crossed her arms and gave him a dirty look, while puckering her eyebrows. It was impossible to cast a disillusionment charm on the bloody wizard; otherwise, she would be covering his arse from everyone's view. "You're embarrassing me, Draco!"

"Well, I'm sorry your Highness, your peasant can't help it." He was drying tears with his thumb, grinning widely at her. "Am I embarrassing you?" Her words kicked in with some delay and his smile melted away, "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to."

Hermione saw the face change from flushed and beaming to an ice-cold mask that threw her back to the old Draco.

"You can't stop laughing at these people, it's irritating." She whispered between gritted teeth.

"I'm not mocking them, Hermione. I keep seeing Blaise instead of the front guy. I'm not doing this on purpose, I have been raised with manners." He put physical distance between them, taking away the arm around her shoulders and sitting straight on his side of the seat.

No longer used to receiving his cold shoulder, Hermione feigned watching the dancing demonstration further but sank in thoughts instead, keeping tabs on him from the corner of her eye. _Why was he so offended? I said no lie, Draco was behaving like a child. His behaviour was disturbing me tremendously, it's as if he lacks respect for the local customs._

Draco's stare focused into the distance, biting his finger absentmindedly. He refused to look at her, and give away how much her words had hurt him. He was no Weasel who didn't know how to behave. Against his will, he laughed himself in stitches, no matter how many times he tried to contain himself.

Being put in his place as an embarrassing presence rubbed him so wrong that it ruined his buzz completely.

The men's demonstration continued into the next phase: the fire-walking. A smouldering pit built of white-hot stones located behind the dancers was burning already for hours in advance, following the traditional preparations to this ceremony. The men represented the different villages on Fiji Island, and participating was considered a great honour.

One at the time, each man walked over the fire barefoot; temporarily demanding the attention from the brooding wizard and impressing him with their stoic expressions. If the blond didn't know better, it looked as if these tribesmen walked over a patch of snow.

"They are inviting people to try..." He felt her soft hand against his arm but shifted his away to break the contact. "Draco, you wanted to try this…" Left and right from him, a few men were taking off their shoes and socks. Some with big manners to impress their counterparts, puffing up their chests like peacocks. "Draco…"

"Nevermind, I might embarrass you." He stood up abruptly and headed towards the exit head dropping between his shoulders before her hand could touch his shoulder.

Upset, she gasped before gathering her bag quickly and running after him, pleading, "Draco...wait."

He barely stopped, "Go back to your demonstration, I'm returning to the Arcadia." His tone was flat, the expression dark.

"You couldn't stop chuckling, damn you!" She rocked his arm in a tight grip, "You were killing my mood."

"Have you never been caught in a burst of giggles that you just couldn't stop? Oh wait, go figure, I almost forgot I'm dealing with the mighty Granger, perfect in every aspect; of course, you never have. I'm so sorry that I made you feel ashamed by my persona, it wasn't my intention, your mighty Highness." He shook himself free, "I would hate to disturb the rest of your experience, I'm going back to the boat."

"You bloody git… how dare you! Fine, go! Go whine somewhere else. I can enjoy an excursion perfectly without your presence." She waved him off and flounced back to her seat. _If he wanted to pout like a tot, then be my guest!_

Draco remained at his place for a few moments, wondering if this little episode was worth the fuss. Yet, it hurt to be considered an embarrassment while it was beyond his control. _Better leave her before I say something I'll regret instantly..._

Despite the bad feeling in his gut, he spun and returned to the port at a lazy pace, asking here and there for the right direction. In the end, Draco lost his patience and apparated inside their room, putting on his swimming trunks to pull some lengths at the Neptune pool.

-oOo-

 _Your Highness! How dare he?_ The offered refreshment after the ceremony was accepted but remained untouched. _Bloody git couldn't control his giggles and feels offended by my words? I said nothing wrong and I didn't use any offensive words. I should have known that a little issue would be enough to awaken the old Draco…_

Absent, she followed the group continuing the organised shopping trip, but none of the shop windows could tingle her interest. The way Draco walked away with sagging shoulders haunted her. _I have said nothing wrong._ The more she repeated, the less convincing it sounded.

Nevertheless, she chose to follow the program instead of returning to the boat by herself. The time-out would do them good.

-oOo-

She opened the door to find her wizard with a towel around his waist walking to the closet to choose a shirt. Her greeting was short, "Hey."

"Hey." Draco responded in a flat tone, without turning around to face her, but instead grabbing underwear, pants and new socks and returning to the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.

"Oh, are we going to continue like this?" Apparently, he was still in his aloof demeanour, and irritated, she disapparated into her own suite, grabbing a change of clothes before she headed to the bathroom, slamming the door shut with a bang.

Her mood darkened considerably. If he was continuing to be his petulant-self instead of accepting a cease-fire, then she would spend the rest of her evening alone. This was an adult-only cruise, after all, no children allowed.

-oOo-

Draco entered the Rising Sun Pub on the F-deck - a bar with a British feel - and took a seat at the bar in the company of good tumblr of scotch. The glass with the caramel-colored liquid was turned and turned as if the small ripples would bring him clear sight. The cosy interior and the tv-screen on the wall playing quietly a cricket game never got acknowledged, the grey gaze staring emptily before him.

He'd skipped dinner, feeling everything but hungry, so the malted alcohol was his only source of food. When he returned from the bathroom to find the suite Hermione-empty again, he swallowed his intentions to move on and forget that the entire episode had even taken place.

However, it was evident that Hermione was easily prone to think the worst of him, undoing him a lot more than this mornings "embarrassing"-declaration. His suite was promptly too empty for his taste and he escaped into a place where her absence would be the least felt.

"What does a lonely man like you doing here?" A blonde took the seat next to him, "Need some company, sweetheart?" The long manicured red nail followed an invisible line down his arm.

"No, I would prefer if you would find somewhere else to sit." He just barely contained a snark. The last thing he needed was an unrequested female company.

"Honey, tell me who hurt your heart so I can pull her hair off…" The nail continued its journey upwards, over his elbow to his shoulder, regardless of the obvious distaste.

"Lady, can you please remove your finger from my body? I'm not interested." He rolled his arm away, but the bint was like an annoying bug, returning the finger to its earlier point in a heartbeat, his denial completely ignored once more.

"Wow, it didn't take you long to find a replacement." Hermione's voice never sounded so acid.

"Oh fuck me, Salazar, what are the odds?" Shaking his head, Draco spun in his barstool, raising his hands in surrender, "Whatever you think you see, it's not what it looks like."

"Darling, I was here first." Threatened by Hermione's presence, the woman sneered, "This poor man seems lonely and miserable, and I was here soothing him. Do yourself a favour and search for another bloke to please. This gentleman is taken." Adding more heat to the fire, the blonde woman slammed her arm around Draco's shoulder and pressed a red stained kiss on his cheek. The wizard threw her arm unceremoniously off his body, but it found its way back to the previous position in no time.

"I'm trying to stay polite, woman. Can you fucking stop touching me?" Draco issued one last warning, employing more power in his efforts to escape the undesired grabbing.

Hermione, however, retorted at the same time, "Oh, you can have him. Just don't tell the _poor man_ he's embarrassing. His ego can't handle it very well. Malfoy, it was nice as long as it lasted, I'll move my stuff from your room tomorrow while you go for breakfast."

"What the hell?" The woman wrapped saw her chance to wrap her arms around him, but Draco cut himself loose and dumped her harshly on the nearest stool with a growl. He followed his bristling witch with large steps into the hallway, "Hermione Granger, I didn't do a thing, damn it. Will you fucking stop?"

"No, why would I? You didn't stop for me either. You just barely paused on your way out." She spun while walking backwards, bristling in anger, "This is me returning the favour!" Turning back to her intended destination.

"Are you going to walk away from what we have because of...this?" Slowly, the wizard came to a stop, sensing the ground be taken away from under his feet. "I didn't ask for the bint, she was the one who came on to me."

"From afar, it looked different." Hermione barely halted her stomping, turning by the waist just long enough to drop her opinion, "Don't put the blame on me."

"I guess that the investment on our relationship wasn't equal from both sides, then." He murmured, closing his eyes to gather enough strength to walk away into the opposite direction. He could barely believe she was so fast in drawing conclusions instead of giving him the benefit of the doubt. If nothing else, he thought he gave her no reason to question his feelings or his integrity, nowadays.

Instead of continuing their argument, he decided once again to retreat. A heavy weight settled in his heart and he walked absent-minded through hallways and staircases, until he finally found an exit. His wandering took him up to Lido deck finding at its very end an empty lounger to sink in.

After awhile of numbness staring, he walked to the stern, grabbing the rail until his knuckles saw white, head hanging low between the stretched arms. The grey eyes stared empty at the deep foamy dent in the water caused by the ships' propeller. Not that his brain wondered how it all was possible thanks to the rotating blades, no. His mind kept going over her angered words, how she accused him so quickly of searching for a replacement, or how her words this morning hurt him so.

He was clueless at what to do next.

Should he barge into her suite and force her to realise the entire issue wasn't worth throwing away what they had? Fight for their relationship?

Or should he walk back to his own quarters and wait until she regained her common sense?

The first tended to give her more power over him, and he was already a complete Hufflepuff in her hands. The latter sounded a tad better, but also held the risk of making her change her mind completely about them.

He didn't know if one could debate with an enraged Hermione.

So he chose the latter, hoping that whatever bounded them was strong enough for her to seek her way back to him.

If not… the possibility cut through his heart like the sharpest knife.

* * *

 **A.N.:**

 **I had the bright idea (rather late) to post on my Tumblr some pictures related to the visited port and activities. I'm starting with this chapter, but if I find the time, I'll add also those pictures for past chapters that inspired me to write. You can find me under:** **.com(/)blog(/)ruthy4vrsmoak-ed (remove parentheses if copy-pasting!)**


	31. Day Thirty-Nine

The average opinion on the last chapter was: they are both idiots. You had me in stitches :) This chapter includes cold Guinnesses and truth-tea served hot... My beta-angel Magzillasaurus cleaned this one for you. Day Thirty-Nine

* **Draco** *

If he would sleep for more than one hour straight, he considered it a miracle. It had been past two a.m. when he finally returned to his room, arms and legs frozen from the night cold and an overlooked warming charm.

His bed was empty as he feared, and a quick glance over the railing later confirmed that her curtains drawn shut. For a moment he contemplated apparating into her room, a thought he shoved away the next second. It was her choice to stay away, and he had to respect her decision.

He was that strong for precisely two minutes.

Unlike the other time when she warded her room against him, he appeared with a plop next to her bed, staggering slightly at the sight before him.

Her face still bared the puffy look from shed tears, her arms circled the gigantic bear almost chokingly. With a sun-tanned leg slammed over the closest paw, Hermione rested on top of her sheets, only dressed in her tee and sleeping shorts - the ones she wore yesterday, so she had definitely returned to his room.

Using his wand, Draco pulled the sheet from under her body and covered her with the white bedding, working with his hands instead of magic. His thumb brushed lightly over her cheek, drying the trace of a tear. Softly, he pressed his lips on her temple, murmuring, "I might have overreacted, it just hurt to hear you say those words."

The lips lingered for a few more seconds. "I don't want to lose you, but it will be your decision." Barely a whisper.

It took all his strength to not replace the bear in her arms with his body. Where he gathered the will to walk away was a real mystery, yet, he ended up in his bed, noticing each hour pass between a few slumbering gaps.

-oOo-

The knocking on his door woke him. "Housekeeping!"

At least, he had slept the last two hours; the clock had shown six thirty the last time he could remember. Draco stumbled out of bed, opened the door to the little woman and gestured her to enter. Next, he barked orders into the telephone demanding for a pot of strong coffee and went to the balcony, re-chewing his misery.

Room service came and went, the maid cleaned his room and made his bed, scaring the shit out of him when a strange noise filled the room and he saw the woman use a strange tube with a weird looking piece pushing it back and forth over the carpet. Hermione would know what the contraption was for sure.

But the noise he dreaded the most, never came. In his closet, her belongings remained untouched. For another hour and after he returned from his weak attempt at lunch at the pool bar. Instead of his usual full pizza, he chose a small point and even that was barely touched.

It wasn't that he didn't try to approach her. His knocking on her door went unanswered. He tried to sneak peek into her room from his balcony, but her curtains remained closed. And his final straw, a casted _homenum revelio_ , came out empty.

"I'm not going to be a softy Badger!" His resolve said out loud was the complete opposite of what he ended up doing: searching in the areas she mostly frequented to see if he could find her.

Instead, he found Henry and his mates at the sports bar.

"Ah, our young stallion. Join us, son!" Donald patted invitingly on the chair he pulled quickly to their table.

"Oh, hello…" Draco didn't want to be rude but lacked a decent excuse to evade the grandpas.

Terry stood up and guided the blond by the shoulder to the empty chair. "Henry, grab us some strong booze, I sense we need to intervene with this young man once more."

Draco offered little resistance, his defences were seriously low, "You've got to excuse me, but I prefer to be alone."

"Nonsense, son. Our longtime experience with women will help you solve your problem. What did you do this time?" Donald leaned on his elbows, while Henry requested a new round of beers for the entire table. Put together, the elder men looked like siblings, all tanned and grey-haired, dressed in white polos and navy cargo shorts.

The blond's reluctance to speak up made the suspicion grow. Henry patted on Draco's shoulder, "Start from the beginning. We've all been there, son, women are a special kind of beast. They come without a manual of instructions and a serious problem of short-tempered fuses, they go off in a matter of seconds like pff!" A wrinkled hand flew in the air.

"Yesterday, we went to the cultural show on Fiji island. She warned me it might be boring, but I wanted to watch the fire walking, and endeavour at a walk over hot stones, you know…" Draco grabbed his glass as if it was a lifebuoy, telling the story but never raising his gaze away from his drink.

"Oh...man...I'm glad I skipped that one this year. My wife and her drooling at the sight of those shiny torso's is a little too much for my male pride; though I wonder if their crown jewels are dancing freely underneath those grassy skirts. Like a good Scottish Kilt." Terry added his five cents, making every man burst into laughter, including the wizard who had to slam a hand over his mouth to prevent a little spitting accident.

"Terry, mate, I wonder the same thing… we went for the other one, yesterday, the...how was it called again? Ah, forgot it...the Fiji something...with a visit to the orchid gardens. Also boring as...you know...but at least my ego didn't get a dent from all the drooling. My belly isn't taut anymore like it use-"

Donald raised a hand, counting each finger, "Mate, you drink too much, you eat too much and you snack too much. Don't beat around the bush...call a spade a spade, Henry. You have a beer belly." The hand shifted between both men, as if it silently said, _I'm the same…_ "Now, Drake, tell us more. Where did it go wrong?"

"When I started laughing and couldn't stop…"

"You laughed yourself in stitches… alright… and then what?" Suddenly, apart from Draco, every man inched closer on the table, to keep the conversation between them.

"I had this image in my head about a very good friend of mine, who has a similarly tanned complexion and I kept seeing him jumping around, growling like those tribal men did and pushing those spears, and I couldn't stop giggling."

"Still waiting to hear your crime… you had a case of an unstoppable laughter...no big deal." Henry bobbed his head. "Go on…"

"She told me I was embarrassing her and it didn't go over really well. It hurt, and I overreacted." He scrubbed the palm over his face, taking in a long breath.

"Describe overreacting." Terry fixed his suspicious gaze on the younger man.

"I waved her hand away and left her behind, after I told her that I didn't want to embarrass her anymore by my presence… I might have been distant in my speech when she returned, too." Lost, he buried his hands in his hair, supporting his head on his elbows.

"Hmm, and your woman?" Henry enquired after a sip.

Draco drank some liquid courage before answering, "She was angry at first, later she abandoned me in our suite, and if it wasn't enough, she caught a bint throwing herself at me at the bar and accused me immediately of cheating on her."

The men shook their heads collectively, sighing. Terry cleared his throat, "It sounds like one of those cheesy series on our telly back home!"

Henry did the same as Terry before speaking, "In my opinion, you both need to apologise."

Blond eyebrows hid under the fringe, "I can't find her."

"Son, you will. In the worst-case scenario, tonight before she goes to sleep. You know her room number, right?" Henry didn't let Draco get away so easily. "You have indeed overreacted, been a little dramatic for my taste. Do you know how many times my Margaret has told me that I'm embarrassing? Well, I have not enough toes and fingers anymore." Donald and Terry nodded in agreement, though the last murmured, "I might have a free foot, I guess."

Henry rolled the eyes at his friend, "Useful comment, mate. Now, son, you're to blame, yes, but she has taken her conclusions rather easily, in my opinion. Probably, because you didn't apologise fast enough at first."

Draco stared blank-faced, "You're telling me that I have to run like a bloody hufflep… I mean a puppy and beg for forgiveness? What kinda man-"

"Gives such power to his woman? One that wants to keep _the one_ with him. Unless she's not the wife-material, you had in mind." Donald interrupted Draco.

"It has nothing to do with her dominating you." Terry continued, "If that's the case, then she isn't worth it, but I strongly doubt that your young girl is cut from such cloth. Now it comes to this, do you want to save your relationship or not?"

They didn't need an answer, it was displayed on the wizard's face.

"Set your pride aside for once. Tell her she hurt you, tell her that you realise that you overreacted and fight for what you have, goddammit. The chances that you will encounter another girl like her might be as good as impossible. Fight unless you want to lose your Hermione." Henry let his fist connect loudly with the table, drawing attention to their little group. A few scathing glares was all it took to make others redirect their enquiring gaze.

"Pride will not warm the other side of your bed, son." Terry added, "As Henry said before, we've all been there. Make no mistake, if your relationship only exists if you keep bending the knee then it's not worth it. But sometimes, bending that knee will guarantee you a life full of happiness at the side of a fantastic woman," The older man pulled his shoulders, "Even if they are difficult creatures to comprehend."

"Hear me out, son." Donald pitched in, "What were your plans for tomorrow at Port Vila?"

"The diving thing…" The exact name didn't come to mind.

Henry agreed, "Ah, the snorkelling...good choice. Was Hermione going with you?"

"It was the plan." Draco gulped the last of his beer.

Donald stopped Henry to finish his own reasoning, "If you don't find her tonight, don't go to her room but gamble on her presence at the scuba tomorrow. If she's there, then be the perfect gentleman as you would have been in normal circumstances. If she isn't, because she's a stubborn thing like my Helen...then confront her later at night, as Terry and Henry suggested."

Terry finished the line of thought, "Then you say your peace, gently but determined. It's important to keep your temperament in check! And you wait for her to make the next move."

Nodding in agreement, Donald gestured to the waitress, "I'll cover the next round!"

Draco hoped they gave him good advice. Because honestly, he didn't know what to do.

-oOo-

* **Hermione** *

She heard Diana before she saw the woman approach. "HERMIONE!"

Hermione was hiding in a lounger on the part of the ship she rarely visited, hoping Draco would never find her there.

After he left yesterday night, her nights' rest went to pieces. His whispered words, his gentle caress, tucking her in… she felt it all. Her wards didn't keep him off, as she had intended. They warned her of his presence, and she kept her breathing even, though it took every ounce of control not to crack and give away the fact that she heard it all.

She had said too much, regretted more than half of her words but didn't know how to set it straight again.

For the first time, the Gryffindor courage abandoned her, and in its place, doubt remained. Especially when she spotted him at the pool bar, alone and barely eating. Not only had the sight robbed her of her hunger, but it also broke her heart. Yet, she preferred to retreat instead of approaching him, fearing to meet the old Draco instead of the man she fell in love with.

"Hermione! I'm so glad to see you again...where's that gorgeous stud of yours?" Diana looked around, hoping to spot a blond head. In the meantime, she dropped her bag on the nearest lounger and sat down, "I felt so much pity for him, last night. That vulture of a bitch wouldn't take her paws away from your bloke. Even Frankie commented on how polite he was being, but she kept coming at him. My Frankie said, if it was him, he would have shoved her away rudely a long time ago."

"I saw them together…" The memories were still fresh, it was that little issue which held Hermione back the most.

"He shoved her quickly into the nearest stool when you arrived. It was so funny to watch! I nearly peed in my pants when I saw it. The bint really got on his nerves, your poor man." Diana continued, "Wait, don't tell me you think your stud was cheating on you...right?"

"No...of course not...ridiculous thought...Draco would never..." her lip started to quiver.

"Oh, I barely can't believe my eyes! How in God's name is it possible! You must have seen how he brushed her off!" Shaking both hands at the side of her head, Diana stared at Hermione with a desperate look.

"From afar…"

"From afar you still could see him push her hand away unless you saw what you wanted to see." Pink glossy lips pursed, accusingly. "Did you two fight?"

Hermione turned her head to the other side.

"Holy mother of God!" Some more murmurs followed, none Hermione could understand. "Well, from _our_ afar, your man tried to keep his manners while wishing he could shove her away without restraint. Now, tell me what else happened, because my little toe tells me this was the drop that overflowed your full bucket."

"He acted like a hysterical teenager, laughing his arse off instead of showing respect for other man's culture." Hermione used wide gestures, riled up, "I call him out for being embarrassing, and he goes all drama king on me as if I insulted him, followed by giving me the cold shoulder." Her irritation flowed over into desperation, as her tears came streaming down her face and her voice cracked. "It was as if I saw the old Draco all over again and as if it wasn't enough, I caught him with that bitch all over his body..." The Gryffindor rubbed her nose on the back of her hand.

"Have you spoken to each other afterwards?" Diana lowered her head to meet Hermione's gaze.

Hermione sniffed, "No, I've been avoiding him."

"Then grab your boobs - us women, we have no balls, right? - corner the stud and kick his arse into falling in line, followed by fucking his brains out." A finger probed into the witches upper arm, "I hear how something minor grew out of its proportions and is threatening to end something worth fighting for." The finger never stopped poking. "You probably hurt his feelings and men are morons when their pride is injured."

"Diana…" Hermione surrendered, exhausted.

"Do you want to lose him?" A bunch of brown curls shook, "That's what I thought. Listen, take a nice bath this evening with a good glass of wine, and smooth things over tomorrow after a good night of sleep."

The brunette's breath wavered, "We were doing the snorkelling if he sticks to the plan."

"Perfect. Use the trip to assess his mood and to have a decent talk." On an impulse, Diana pursed Hermione's lips by pressing her hands on the witches' cheeks, "Then make cute blond curly haired babies afterwards!"

"You and babies…" Brown eyes rolled desperately.

"Well, Frankie and I have a bet going on… on which port we're conceiving our firstborn haha... It wasn't on Santa Lucia!"

They roared.

Lacing her arms through Hermione's, Diana got both of them up, "Now, let us get some dessert, you and I need sugar!"

-oOo-

Hermione was reading her novel when she heard a large bump coming from next door, followed by a _fuck_ and a new crash.

It was already late at night and her windows were wide open to let the cold evening breeze enter. Shoving the sheet aside, she walked barefoot to the balcony, peeping over the edge to watch how the blond wizard staggered into bed and let himself fall like a heavyweight.

"Oh, Draco." She smiled softly, recognising his antics.

Using her spare key, she entered his suite and stopped just long enough to admire a snoring Draco with arms and legs splayed wide open over the entire bed.

She took his shoes off and his pants, by now used to how he preferred to sleep in his trunks and used all her strength to turn him around, jostling his frame until his head finally fell on his pillow.

Hermione whispered, "What did you do?" Tonight their roles were reversed, it was her who tucked him in.

"Drank a few beers with the grandpas…" The drunken drawling was thick. "It was fun."

"I bet it was…" She shoved a rebel hair from his forehead, "There's a pepper-up potion on your nightstand for tomorrow."

He patted the little spot next to him on the mattress, "You can lay here with me...there's enough room, love."

"You smell of alcohol, Draco. I'm sleeping in my bed, someone needs to stay sober tomorrow morning."

"O...khay...luv you Herminny…" His head lulled to the right, smiling widely. A deep throaty snore followed swiftly.

Her lips pressed a soft kiss on his temple, "I love you too, Draco."


	32. Day Fourty

**Says no word expect to thank Magzillasaurus for her beta-work. Tiptoes back to the exit...**

* * *

 **Day Forty**

*Draco*

His wand went off, and the alarmed wizard spun in his bed in panic reaching out to his wooden companion but ending up falling off the mattress, his nose hitting on the ground, "Fuck! Argh… Salazar's saggy balls, my head!" It took him forever to crawl back onto the bed - being woken up this way messed with his coordination abilities. Once he was sitting safely, he pushed the cushioned part of his hand against his throbbing temples, whining, "I don't feel so good…"

The wand blared again, and a patting hand sought the damn wooden stick, almost knocking off a vial to the floor on its way until the fingers finally circled around the wand and flicked it into silence. One eyelid opened just enough to locate the unexpected vial, bringing the glass container close enough for his eyes to read the label. The penmanship was familiar and described the content as a pepper-up potion.

Gulping it down in one time, Draco waited until its effects flowed over his body, before analysing how one of her potions found its way to his nightstand. He kept staring at it, long after his fingers had put the cork back in its place. A few conclusions invaded his mind:

 _She was here last night._ The last thing he could remember was entering his room and stumbling against his commode on his way to find the bed. After feeling his face connect with the pillow, his lights went out.

There was no other explanation for his state of undress, either. His slacks were gone, the top buttons of his shirt were open, and his feet were sock and shoe-free, all pointing out to the fact that Hermione came to tuck him in. An uncertainty crawled in his mind, _Did I say something to her? Has she said something to me?_ His mind was blank, much to his disappointment.

 _If she was here, it's because she still cares…_ that little hope sparked a light in his heart. _Be a man and think before you speak, Malfoy. If she still cares, not all is lost._

Knowing now by heart which buttons to push on the telephone, he ordered once more a strong pot of coffee from room service and walked towards the shower, to wash away all the lingering after-effects of his hangover. He should know better than he and Muggle beer weren't good friends. Yet, it tasted too good…

-oOo-

* **Hermione** *

Putting her hair in a ponytail, she picked up her tote to gather all the necessary items for today's trip. The boat would not be docking at the port today but instead, using the tender service to reach the shore.

Hermione felt refreshed after a good night of sleep, having decided that the further course of their relationship depended on how they would interact today. Maybe Diana was right. Perhaps this incident was to be blamed on both of them, him with his overacting and she with her quickly-drawn conclusions and hurting him outside her intent.

He did say it wasn't what it looked like, _but didn't all blokes say the same when caught in flagrante?_

Her tote contained two towels, a bottle of water big enough for both but her sunscreen was in his room. _I'll grab it on my way out._

Next was trading her nightie for a tank top plus hotpants and underneath, her tankini. Checking out her appearance in the mirror, she left the room to grab a healthy breakfast, smiling while she poured granola over her greek yoghurt with honey. _Birdfood_.

-oOo-

Draco opened the door after the first light knock, "Oh, hey."

"Good morning to you too, I need the sunscreen, and it's in your bathroom." She slipped under his arm, dropping her bag on her way to said room.

A little unsettled by her presence, he closed the door slowly, scrubbing his face with a hand, "Thank you for the potion. Yesterday, the grandpas and I consumed a few too many, they introduced me to a new black beer, something Irish."

"Ah, it must have been a Guinness, how many of those did you drink? No wonder you were in such a state." She giggled, opening her tote to cram the bottle inside the little vanity bag. "I have a towel for each of us and enough water, you don't need to worry."

She didn't notice at first how close he neared, "Hermione…" He cupped her cheek, thumb rubbing over her soft skin.

"Later, or we'll miss the tender boat." Her mouth curled for a second before she reached out for her bag. Yet, as usual, he already had it in his possession.

-oOo-

The smaller craft brought the entire gathering to the shore, groups scattering in different directions depending on their destination. Their own little assembly followed a guide towards a mini-bus that brought them to the jetty where a boat fully covered by a roof waited.

Hoisting up the bag over his shoulder, Draco helped Hermione onto the boat, following the majority down the stairs. The bottom was one and all glass windows giving immediately the impression of being inside a submarine. Soon it began to move, navigating through outcrops of coral between the aqua green water, and schools of fish.

On the contrary of the submarine, where a marine biologist gave descriptions of the different sorts of underwater life, this time it was thanks to one or another passenger that Draco and Hermione were able to discern the species.

"Look, that's the Nemo!" Hermione pointed out to the clownfish, grabbing Draco by his shoulder, "He looks so cute." She chuckled, animated.

"I prefer that thin one with the long fin over his head." He indicated to a flat shaped fish with wide markings of black, white and yellow over his body. Next to him, a man recognised the striped fish as a Moorish Idol, two of them swimming in a duo before their window. "Your looks like he has a striped pyjama…"

"Idiot." She rolled her eyes, shaking her head, "Let's go upstairs."

He followed her as a few others did when the captain invited the interested passengers to the snorkelling. Draco accepted a rubber tube and a mask but didn't trust the rubber item one bit.

"This is the mouthpiece and you bite on it, while you use it for breathing through your mouth. The mask goes over your eyes and nose, you'll have to adjust them tight enough to avoid water seeping in." As usual, Hermione was guiding him over the must-know details.

"Have you done this before?" All of a sudden, he wasn't so sure anymore.

"No, I've read enough about it, the library on the Arcadia had a decent manual." Lastly, she accepted for both of them a pair of fins. "These two are to swim better with your legs instead of using your arms, they go over your feet. We need to avoid splashing too much otherwise we'll scare the fish away." She put them on and saw how he copied her every move.

He kept nodding, though he bit back the swotty remark. Things were going right, and this was not the time to taunt her, even if it was something familiar to both of them.

The guide motioned them to come into the water and adjust the masks, speaking in broken English, "Pull tight enough, keep calm and breathe normally through your mouth. You'll be fine."

All the tourists followed the instructions strictly, by the looks they were all new swimmers. Walking to the edge of the boat with those fins on and falling into the water was a funny sight. Quickly said, elegance was in short supply.

Hermione strapped her mask tight and dipped her head under the water line. To her satisfaction, no water seeped in, and she gave the guide and Draco a thumbs up. Next, she helped him with his own gear, hooking a finger behind the straps, "Does it feel too tight?" He shook his head. "Then plunge your face underwater and see if there's any seeping inside your mask."

He took a big gulp of air and did as instructed, feeling relief that the mask was doing an excellent job at keeping the water out. He copied her thumbs up with the smile when he rose.

"Nice, now you bite on this, close your lips good around it and breath in and out calmly." He frowned, "It's clean, don't fuss about it." He groaned but did as told.

A man came to them, "Breath through the tube, in out, no panic. Try…" pointing them to go once more under water just enough to get used to the feel. "Is okay?" He looked from the witch to the wizard and received the expected thumbs up. "Nice, keep the point of the snorkel always above water. Enjoy!"

Hermione floated over the surface and started to kick slowly but determinedly while being in awe at the beauty underneath her. Soon Draco joined her, a little uncertain about his leg movements but picking up the hang of things thanks to his athletic skills.

Seeing the beauty of the underwater life through a window is one thing, but being so close to it was another. None of the two dared to touch a bit of coral or stroke a passing-by fish. But their eyes grew big when they found themselves in the middle of a school butterfly fish, unintentionally grazing the scaly skin.

They swam calmly, arms floating next to them. The one kept touching the other to draw attention to a seahorse or a starfish.

Hermione felt Draco jerk backwards, but she saw quickly why. A moray eel with his threatening open and closing mouth slid right next to the wizard. It scared him to the point that Draco rose to the surface and took his mouthpiece off, "Fuck. What was that?"

"An eel." She answered taking away her own snorkel off, "Do you want to continue?"

"Yes, of course. But they are waving at us to return." Draco blew a few times harshly but followed her.

The captain and his guide were distributing pieces of bread, "Feed fish. Fish like bread."

Chuckling, the pair put their snorkels in place and sought an area slightly away from their group. It didn't take long before a group coloured little things were nibbling from the offered chunks of bread. The most difficult was reminding to keep the lips tightly around the mouthpiece to prevent gulps of water.

Draco saw Hermione's pyjama fish approach, and his favourite Moorish Idol came also savour his offering, pulling softly tiny chunks from the loaf. Too soon for his taste, the bread was devoured, and they all scattered away in search for more to eat. He looked up to find Hermione staring at him with a tilted head. Shrugging, he motioned with a nod for a return to the boat, grabbing her hand on his way back. Feeling her lace her fingers with his, his heart beamed.

-oOo-

"Can we go for a walk? We need to talk, Hermione." As soon as they were brought back to the starting point, Draco didn't want to postpone it any longer. Being uncertain about where they stood in their relationship darkened his pleasure of being so close to the underwater world.

He wanted to kiss her as soon as they were back on the semi-submerged vessel but had refrained. A curl that waved in front of her eyes, begging to be tucked behind her ear, had almost been put in its place, but the pale fingers stilled halfway to their purpose and retreated. Unsure of her reaction. Afraid of misreading her signals and imagining things. Fearing rejection.

Hermione nodded, "I'm hungry too thanks to all the swimming." She fought an inner battle inside her mind. You had the side that wanted to touch him, to kiss him and hug him tight while laughing at his facial expressions while watching the fish surround them or how he glowed in amazement when a little clownfish nipped from his bread. How the hand pale slowly came closer to his face under water, to admire the little fish mouths bite, as closely as possible.

On the other side, there was a whisper to hold back. To ponder if it was wise to move on as if the entire incident didn't happen. Should she make the first step? Should she wait if he started on his own? He wanted to talk privately, yes but was it to lay the blame on her as she was used to by her former lovers? Accusing her of not having enough patience or lack of comprehension and all the bullshit she heard across the years… Would he not fall into a repeat?

While one was unaware of the inner battles from the other, they paced along the street side-by-side, through a busy road, cars crossing each other in the street surrounded by shops and food-joints all with wide shopfronts in a mix of British, French and Bislama, the official Creole mother tongue.

"Miss Granger, Mr. Malone!" Butler Perkins was running towards them. "Miss Granger, Mr. Malone!" the man tried once more, puffing between the shouting, "We...oh...we had a late cancellation for the planned visit to the turtle sanctuary and I was...oh you must forgive me, I'm not in such a shape… I was wondering if you would like to join. I've noticed you enjoy discovering nature, and as the schedule has suffered a long delay, I thought you might want...to participate." The man tried to compose himself but kept grabbing his sides to calm his breath.

Hermione's face lit but thought of what they intended to do, "We were about to lunch…"

Perkins shook his head, intervening, "There's a picnic provided on board the trimaran that will bring you to the sanctuary. Plus on the way back, they'll serve you an afternoon tea." He took long breaths and was finally getting back to his professional demeanour despite the trail of sweat soaking the collar of his perfectly pressed white shirt.

"I don't know…" Visiting the turtles was something that she also wanted to do, but was forced to choose between the activities, due to expected schedule conflicts. The submerging character of the boat they just left appealed to her more, wanting to revive the reverence in Draco's eyes like in Honolulu.

"Let's do it, lov- Hermione. We can talk later, I promise." Draco nudged her hand. "Perkins, where do you want us?"

"Follow me." The butler brightened on the spot, his efforts were luckily not in vain. Neither did he lost his commission.

-oOo-

You have boats, you have impressive ships like the Arcadia and the particular semi-vessels like the Reef Explorer of this morning, and then you have the majestic trimaran with its three hulls connected by lateral beams and the impressive mast holding up the mainsail and its jib.

Draco had the clarity of mind to stop his jaw from falling open, "Wow."

"Wow, indeed." Hermione's mouth did fall open, the four-hour visit including the hour sailing on this baby seemed all of a sudden not enough. She wished there was more time to admire the sailboat before entering the ship.

However, the rest of the group was waiting for them to leave and as soon as they were on board, the sailboat set course to Tranquillity Island, home of the turtle sanctuary among other things. To say he felt impressed by the way this trimaran sailed through the water, was the understatement of the week.

Draco could not take his eyes away from the sails, how the fabric was bulging tautly thanks to a powerful breeze, or how the main hull, with his sharp nose, cut through the water with an elegance one did not expect from such vessel.

"I love to see you speechless." Hermione slid her arms around his waist, to lean on his shoulder blade with her chin. Failing to notice how her gesture came naturally despite the current state of their relationship.

Draco's heart performed a salto inside his chest, adventuring to rest his hand on top of hers. "Well, I am starting to believe that our Wizarding Community is ages behind."

"You have no idea." Her chuckling vibrated through his entire being. "Don't get me started on the book for Muggle Studies. The telephone they mention dates back to the rotary model my grandmother used. It's not behind on facts, it's downright outdated!" Her eyes twinkled.

"They should ask you to create a new one, the ignorant Purebloods like me need to be educated accordingly." He spun inside her arms, hands curling around her cheeks. Caving to his deep desire, he kissed her softly. A few heartbeats later, he released her lips slowly, "Hermione…"


	33. Still Day Forty

**The continuation of our two idiots love story... fluff ahead, or maybe not? As always, my gratitude goes to my dear beta Magzillasaurus and to my lovely readers with their continuing support.**

* * *

 **Still Day Forty**

"I hurt you." No accusing tone, only a statement of facts.

"You did. But I could have reacted less intensely." His heart beat in his throat. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have abandoned you."

"True. But I failed to see you couldn't help it. You had the giggles, and I was a little too harsh." Her hand rubbed his chest, resting in the end right above his heart. Even over his clothes, she could feel how hard it beat.

"I didn't cheat on you, Hermione, she was an annoying bitch who didn't accept a no for an answer." A muscle in his jaw twitched, sadness clouding his features.

"I know…" The hot air from her whisper caressed his lips.

"I miss you so much. What we have...I don't want to lose you…" Draco was utterly oblivious to how the sunlight bathed them warmly. He needed the physical contact that he craved tremendously and brought their lips together, conveying in their embrace what he failed to say with words. That she occupied more than a corner of his heart. That he believed in a future where she stood by his side, standing by him by with her presence and clever brain on his professional path, him supporting her wherever she wanted to go.

She answered him in an equal amount, arms circling around his head to bring him closer. "I don't want to lose you either. But I got a glimpse of the old Draco..."

"I'm not perfect, I can't promise that I won't drop a stitch along our path, Hermione. I would be lying if I did." He was speaking from his Slytherin heart, times gone by since he considered himself the king, perfect and above reproach. "It doesn't mean that I'm out to hurt you deliberately. To make you bleed. Every harm I force on you will hit me twice as hard."

"Draco…" His sincerity was palpable. She heard it, she saw it. She felt it through his hands, how the emotion clung to the palm cupping her jaw, the other pressing against her back. Her bosom was pushed against his chest fiercely, with little room in between.

"Do you need more time to think? Do you want me to back off a little so you can reconsider us?" His blood thundered in his ears, hoping for a positive answer; saying it aloud was like ten blades piercing through his heart at the same time. Yet, maybe letting her come at her pace was better than to force her hand and have her escape him.

But the deep voice of the captain asking them to deboard the trimaran intervened. The sailboat was at its destination.

-oOo-

Through the pier, they arrived at a compound of low constructed, grassy roofs over concrete basins. A young Ni-Vanuatu girl met them halfway, "Welcome to our Turtle Sanctuary. My name is Sun, and I come from Port Vila. In our conservatory, we concentrate our efforts to protect the Hawksbill Turtles from extinction. We raise them from hatchlings until they reach one year old and are strong enough to be tagged and released into the ocean. We are proud of the fact that we've released over thirteen hundred already, this year alone over a hundred turtles." Everyone applauded to show the deserved respect.

Sun guided them into a first basin. Each basin was shaded from the sun by thatched roofs supporting massive wooden beams.

Nearly all the women gasped and squealed, Hermione included, "Oh Draco, look!"

A turtle was an animal he only saw in books, and rarely the youngling ones like the big group who swam over one another inside the big bathtub. Sun continued, "They are heavily hunted due to their coloured and patterned shells, sold for a high price as ' _Tortoiseshell'."_

The magical couple listened intently. One shook her head at the common threat humans formed to nature, the other compared the trade of tortoiseshell to the dragon or snakeskin commerce in their world. It made Draco wonder if the Wizarding community also endangered species with their behaviour, but this would be an issue for later.

"We'll let you hold one, but please carry them by keeping a hand under and above their shell. Don't pull at their flipper, please, but let them rest their flippers on your wrist for grounding." The anticipation made Draco's witch nearly jump in excitement.

Gently, one of the assistants fished an unaware turtle from the pond and passed it to Hermione who held her hand ready to cradle the little animal.

"Draco, it's so small!" Her face glowed in delight, "Oh little one, you're so cute!" She cooed at the brown and black spotted face, huge black eyes staring back curiously. The scaly neck stretched to seek skin contact. Hermione brought her nose close and giggled at the brief wet contact. "Hihi, hey there..."

The wizard followed the entire display snapping picture after picture. First of the basins, followed by how the native man deposited the turtle in her hand, and of her delighted face, beaming of joy. Memories were captured, this time with an extra layer of purpose, _in case that..._

"They enjoy being scratched under their chin, or gently over their heads," Sun suggested in the distance.

You only had to say it once, in Hermione's case, "Oh, like this huh? See Draco, how he likes it." The little neck stretched out the furthest it could as if begging for more.

Hearing her coo at the little animal, brought an image instantly from a future he desired. His witch with her unruly curls cooing at their baby in the same manner. Draco felt a figurative hand squeeze his heart, and a dark cloud shadowed his thoughts, recalling their current state of affairs.

"Draco… Draco! Earth to Malfoy!" Lost in thoughts, he didn't notice her calling, at first.

"Yes? I'm sorry, I was distracted." Draco blinked.

"Do you want to hold it?" She offered to trade places, presenting her little cargo between her hands.

"Nah, I'm good." He didn't want to break the magical moment.

"Nonsense put the camera away and cup your hand." Hermione bossed him around. Such an opportunity was hard to come by, no way he was going to miss it.

Draco followed suit, without even questioning his behaviour. After stowing the camera in her tote, he held his hand as she instructed and felt the small weight in his hands. The shell had a weird feel, scaly but unlike snakes, definitely, if he thought of Nagini's skin when the bloody snake rubbed him in the passage.

The turtle became restless, legs moving in the air as if it tried to return to the soft female hold from moments ago.

"Relax Draco, you're squeezing him too much. He doesn't bite, you know?" Her tone was actually meant for man and turtle.

"I saw teeth, witch." Controlling his breath, he was able to calm his nerves. Soon, his little passenger relaxed as well, and it eyed the blond with the same curiosity as he did with Hermione. "Are you judging me, little one?"

It remained silent from his hand, logically, but it didn't stop the wizard from continuing his one-sided conversation, approaching the snout to eye level, "You're a curious little thing, aren't you?" The hand on the top of the upper shell rubbed tantalising over the hard surface, and the turtle moved his little head from left to right. One would say it felt delighted.

Hermione recorded the youthful grin, and how soft Draco handled the animal. She only regretted missing a voice recording function, to show later how he also cooed at the turtle, "Let us try the chin rub, what do you think?" The creature was having the time of his life, stretching out his head once more, "Can't get enough, can you?"

Sue woke them from the magical moment, "We have to ask you to return the turtles to their basin."

A general disappointment floated in the air, the turtles had stolen the hearts of every single tourist. "Goodbye, little mate."

"Draco?" She caught him petting the turtle right before he handed the little guy to her, "You surprise me." Not that she was much better, caressing it over his head and his shell, one last time.

He gave her a look as if saying, _the pot meets kettle?_

"You are very lucky today! We are about to release eight juvenile turtles, and if you wish to do so, you can adopt a turtle. We assign your personal information to the tag and the name of your choice. Through their tag, we can update you of their whereabouts when they are sighted." Sun took the group to a particular spot, where eight turtles were getting ready.

"Do you want to do this?" Draco suggested, "Adopt a little Granger-Malfoy turtle?"

"Are you hyphenating our names already?" She patted his cheek, reaching out for her wallet to take a note of twenty pounds. She walked to one of the team members, "Can we chose which one?"

The man smiled, "These three are still available." They weren't the only ones seeking a turtle to add as a new family member.

"Which one do you want?" Draco was kneeling next to the cage and looked up to her. One of the turtles was curious and reached his head towards the wizard. Charmed by the attention, he stroked under the chin and chuckled as the animal closed his eyes.

"That one, he's already fond of you," Hermione added her finger to the caressing. "What do we call him?"

The man interrupted her, "She's a female, miss."

"Oops, I'm so sorry girl…" Hermione placed her flat hand over the shell, rubbing slowly.

It was cute to see how the turtle moved her head towards the sound, the big black eyes wide open.

"She reminds me of someone." Draco's remark drew her attention. "Your friend Looney."

"Draco, that's not her name!" She screwed her face warningly.

"This little turtle is curious about your voice but enjoys the attention. She makes me think of your blonde friend, eyes always wandering around." In the meantime, he thought hard about the girl's name. He called her Looney so often, even when she was a constant guest in his dungeons, that he forgot her real name. Never would he be able to make up for the unfriendly forced stay at his family home, but an encounter later and her honest statement that she didn't blame him for what happened, released him from the massive guilt he carried.

"Luna." The reptile's head tilted as if it agreed with the choice. "Luna Malfoy."

"Luna Granger-Malfoy, you mean." He interjected.

"No, I meant Luna Malfoy. Granger-Malfoy is a mouthful for a little thing like her." A team member pierced the tag to a flipper, taking next notes of Hermione's email address, before handing her all the information about the turtle and its tag.

Hermione showed the certificate proudly, "We are proud parents to Luna Malfoy, the Hawksbill turtle."

Draco only retained the most important part of her announcement. _We are_. _We._

But there wasn't much time to dwell, the man told them to grab the turtle on the shell - more towards the back than the front, to avoid an unexpected bite - and they followed the entire group towards the beach, eight new proud mothers carrying their adopted animals.

Luckily, Draco thought of snapping a few pictures before it was too late, but he stowed the camera quickly away to enjoy the moment.

Bowing at the knee, Hermione sat the turtle on the sand, "Have a good life, girl. Swim loads and have many babies later, Luna Malfoy." She rose to her feet and was immediately enveloped by two strong arms, pressing her against his chest, chin on the top of her head.

Nothing was said. Not by the pair or the group next to them. All the eyes were fixed on the turtles sliding through the sand into the water, disappearing into the wild sea. Hermione waved slightly, trying to dry a rebel tear before Draco would see it.

However, Draco monitored her face like a hawk, searching for any signals. The rebel tear was dried by his thumb, the arms wrapped tighter around her frame and he didn't care if they stood there for five minutes or even for a half hour. He let her set the pace, changing his gaze between his witch and the disappearing turtle.

But the captain of the trimaran called after his passengers, ending the intimate moment too soon for Draco's taste.

"Let's return to the boat, I can use a decent bath. My muscles are hurting." She laced their fingers together, in a natural gesture. His question remained unanswered, Hermione was well aware of this fact, but she had no answer.

Spending time like this with the blond wizard felt like a passage straight out the most romantic novel she ever read. He was being gentle, sweet, adorably cute as he cooed to the baby turtle and the one they adopted and saw become a speck in the ocean.

Yet, the old Draco with the snapping and sneering came above water without effort.

As they paced towards the trimaran and she boarded the boat with his help, her mind kept evaluating the entire situation.

It didn't help to come to a decision when he proposed, "I could use my magical fingers and loosen up those knots in your back." Draco doubted and dreaded the possibility of one more night alone. "Myself, I won't say no to a good scrub with the loofah on my back either, all this swimming needs to be cleaned."

In his mind, he pictured a lot more than only scrubs and massages. He longed after her touch, like a man thirsty for a glass of water, but he was wise enough to keep this to himself. It could do more harm than good.

She tapped him on his pectoral, "Once a Slytherin, always a Slytherin…"


	34. Day Forty-One

***Smiles excruciatingly slow, including the glint from a Colgate ad* Enjoy it, it has been cleaned up by my angel Magzillasaurus...**

* * *

 **Day Forty-One** * **Still day forty** *

Returning to Arcadia felt for Draco as if he was walking down the sacrificial path towards the altar before he met his doomed fate. Hermione never answered his question, and he lacked the courage he needed to inquire once more, fearing its answer.

The bus ride to the small boat had been silent just like the short trip towards the cruise ship, but her hand never left his. Nor was the arm turned down, as it snaked familiarly around her shoulders while admiring the smaller growing views of Port Vila from their spot on the tender-service vessel. But as now they headed for their room, his heart's beat increased in the throat.

The door of the Rome suite came into view.

They held, and Hermione released his hand to gather her room key, stepping through the threshold, and dumping her bag in the nearest chair with a sigh, heading to the mini-bar for a much craved fizzy drink. Only then did she notice Draco's absence, the wizard still standing instead outside waiting, the mouth pressed tightly into a thin line of nerves, "Draco?"

The blond didn't move an inch except for the raking hand through his hair, "I don't know what you expect, what you want. I don't know if it's okay to follow you, or if you prefer that I leave you alone…" his voice carried the insecurity where the paleness of his otherwise lightly suntanned skin couldn't hide how her possible answer might mess with his spirit.

"I want you to show me how much you love me." She walked back the few steps to the door, grasping his hands and pulling him inside her quarters while slamming the door shut with a foot. "At the same time, I'll tell you how hard I've missed your touch, your presence. How this cruise just becomes colourless and bland, if you're not at my sid-"

Draco pressed his lips against her mouth, drowning out whatever followed her declaration with his own deep-throaty groan. His hands drifted behind her head and backside to press her tightly against his body until there was no room between them. The heavy burden on his heart dissolved, replaced by a beating organ which soared at her words. It wasn't enough for him, tongue tasting the last of her afternoon tea; lips devouring, plundering, barely stopping for a short intake of breath and a whispered mantra, "I love you, Hermione. I fucking need you more than I need oxygen."

The wizard found no satisfaction from merely stroking her back over the light cotton. He longed for skin-to-skin contact, to touch every inch of her. Determined but impatient, Draco freed Hermione from her shirt, nearly ripping it in two, untangling the straps of her bikini next while her small hands did similarly with his clothes. A resolute feminine palm guided his erection between her legs, enclosed the member within her legs and rubbed her folds over his hard-on giving the much-needed friction on her bundle of nerves, the engorged arrow-shaped head nearly entering her at each stroke.

All the while, his rougher hands kneaded her breasts, tweaking the nipples just the way he knew she loved, pulling those little moans from her throat. His cock was covered in her slick in no time, and his grunts vibrated against the collarbone he was currently peppering with licks and open mouth kisses.

"I need more...I need to feel you...your hot quim around my cock, love. I longed so much for you…" Craving, Draco hoisted her high enough for her to wrap her legs around his waist, paced to the bed and placed her in the middle after mounting the mattress on his knees. There was no time for foreplay, the yearning outweighing everything else. His cock entered her soaked walls effortlessly, the gasp from their throats released nearly in sync.

His despair, his fear of losing her translated in a chaotic rhythm, heavy thrusts alternated with long, deliberate strokes to delay his peak and delight in her warmth. Hermione pushed her finger tips into his shoulder blades, digging creases on his skin, and traces of a red line or two from scratching nails.

Draco hissed, "Ah, fuck…" welcoming the pain from another mark.

Her legs squeezed his waist, heels deep in his globes to nudge him into heavier rutting, "Take me, Draco...make me yours...I missed you so much…" She bit into his earlobe once more, soothing the pain away with a lap of her tongue.

"Mine…" The blond lover drowned in her words and in the stings on his back from her clawing nails; the fiery heat surrounding his cock intoxicated his senses, his member more than ready to combust. But he wasn't sinking alone. His thumb found her clit stroking figures flawlessly, flicking it once in a while. "You're mine, Hermione. I don't want to...ugh fuck... I'm almost cumming, love…" His trusts grew erratically, unable to hold off his orgasm much longer. His fierce rubbing intensified, "Come with me...milk my dick empty, love…"

"Draco...my Draco..." Her cry was soon followed by his shout, his come flooding her core, jet after jet. Hermione indulged in his low grunting reverberating against the skin of her neck, and the twitching of his shaft inside her velvety walls, while she embraced his body tightly as if he was her lifebuoy.

Draco panted heavily against her chest, sweaty forehead leaning against her shoulder, exhausted. A first attempt and the next to relieve her from his weight proved fruitless as Hermione blocked all his moves. At the same time, she whispered over and over, "I love you." Her fingertips gently scraping his scalp incessantly.

Minutes passed before their breathing calmed down to a normal pace. When he finally broke free from her choking hold, he supported his weight on his flexed forearms to gaze down her flushed face, "I can't promise you that I won't fuck up again, but please… don't leave me."

"I'm not perfect either, Draco, I failed you too…" Lifting her head slightly, she met his lips in a searing kiss combined with a sob, "Forgive me, Draco for hurting you too…"

"There's nothing to forgive…" He answered her kiss with a new embrace, the back of his left hand drying the trails of sweat and the few tears from her face, while the right cradled the back of her head. "You're the most important thing in my life."

Draco's words brought a tired smile to her face, "You grew on me too, sweet prince..."

"Do you know what I crave the most?" He chuckled feeling a new attempt to slide sideways thwarted by snaking legs.

"Escape my hold?" A new squeeze and a husky giggle emphasised her question, stroking his spine with tantalising fingers back and forth.

"It's futile..." His chuckle blew warm puffs of air on her cheeks, but his features grew all serious in seconds, "I can't wait until my come creates life in your womb. My deepest desire is to start a family with you, one that I have carried on my heart for quite a while now."

Using her shock to his benefit, he flipped them around effectively swapping their positions. A hand pushed away strings of sweaty brown curls behind her shoulder and cradled her neck, thumb caressing the soft skin of her jaw.

"A baby?" His unexpected confession made her brain shortcut, incapable of forming coherent thoughts. Her intakes of air were stalled between her parted lips, her features entirely speechless following his words.

"The first of a few, one will not be enough for me. I lost so much time in search for you already, the perfect companion I sought to share the rest of my life with. I don't care if they are curly blonde or brown-haired know-it-alls, but two are the absolute minimum." He kept her gaze fixed on his, attentive to every sign.

The brunette shook her head, "Not an entire Quidditch team, stud, I'm no baby-factory…"

"Why not, love? We only need to find a home with enough bedrooms...our own sanctuary. Imagine, the Malfoy Master team..."

"Our own home? Not Malfoy Manor?" Hermione curled around his chest, her head claiming the perfect spot under his chin. The beating of his heart drummed just below her ear, though it did nothing to soothe her astonishment. He had it all worked out, so much ahead of her.

"No, too much corruption went down in that place. Somewhere new, a complete fresh start...no portraits that might offend you, no fear of evil leftovers," adding to his thoughts: _no mingling of aristocratic parents and their 'well-meant' grooming of his Muggle-Born witch._

"Diane and Frankie have a bet going on... which port they'll conceive their firstborn." She could literally feel his mouth corners curl into a greedy smile. The remark made no sense at the moment, but her common sense wasn't yet back to duty.

"We must hurry then, we don't have that much time left, but if we shag like bunnies, we could still beat them." Draco burst into laughter, Hermione rising and dropping at the bouldering of his chest.

"Well... it seems to escape your attention that I have twenty days before I start a new cycle, I'm on the potion, remember?"

"Unless I get my hands on a certain potion in Sidney…" His Slytherin traits came out to play, "Why waste more time?"

"You're _that_ serious?" Rising by her arms, she faced him straight in the eye, "Why the hurry? Have you thought of what your parents will say when we dock off in Southampton together? Before they even know I could already be pregnant…?"

"In Southampton, it will only be Blaise and Pansy waiting for me. My parents know I'm on a long journey, but they don't know the specifics. We can keep it all a surprise, or we can write an overseas owl to Blaise and your Potter and let them get used to the idea, in the meantime." Draco had already determined that if his parents were against his union, he would put before them a choice. Accept it or get lost. They had ruined his life too much already to have a vote…

"I'm not warning Harry beforehand, otherwise I see Ron capable of Apparating at a future port to talk some sense into me, I gave them the itinerary for their peace of mind. Ginny wanted to follow my schedule at home..." Nope, Grimmauld Place would go without warning, better confront them with an accomplished fact than to risk a Ron-fit and have her cruise ruined for the remaining period. Ron might have calmed down, but Draco's name was still something of a trigger. "Maybe the first day or week will take a little adjusting, but I leave them no choice than to accept you as a steady fixture in my life."

"Two minds alike, my parents can screw themselves if they have any complaints. I don't expect interference from my mother, my father is a liability…" Draco swirled them back around, to stared down at her face, "I love you, I want to see my heir grow in your belly, grow old with you at my side."

"There's no rush, we have plenty of time…" She basked in all the kisses he peppered her face with, over her eyebrow, the tip of her nose. "We can exercise in the science of making babies you know… one never trains enough…"

Draco left the subject rest, for the time being, concentrating willingly on fully waking up his witch's dormant arousal. Which didn't mean that he let a particular idea vanish from his thoughts; that nullifying potion was going to find its way to his room and her body, he was a Slytherin after all… _why waste time?_

-oOo-

*Day Forty-One*

Draco was a man on a mission. His goal was to make up for the two agonising days without her by his side.

Her suggestion to grab breakfast was translated into him picking up the telephone and demanding a super deluxe meal for two. Same for lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. He wasn't going to share his witch with any of his new-found friends today, no sir.

Today was entirely spent on making love, caressing and cuddling, _and_ leafing through the excursion book to decide what to do next at the new port Noumea on the French territory of New Caledonia, the last island before Sidney - _finally!_

Strangely enough, they settled on a trip for cultural sightseeing, to discover the myth of the Kanak society. It included a guided walk and a visit to the museum, a little dull and far from adventurous but with Sidney impending including its possibilities, none of the two fretted about the lack of intensity.

While the housekeeping refreshed their room - not that the bed remained unused for too long - Draco kept his witch curled around his body, on the shared lounger. "That sucking noise, what kind of contraption is that?"

Hermione looked behind her, and grinned, "She's using the vacuum cleaner. It literally sucks the dirt from the carpet with its flat mouth."

"Can it aspirate wands too?" He panicked, concerned about the whereabouts of his wooden companion, his boxer shorts offered no comfortable room to house it...

"It can…" The brunette giggled at the thought, "But yours is safely guarded next to mine inside a notice-me-not drawer."

"Ah...thank you, princess." Nevertheless, he eyed the flat plastic mouth warily, _Muggle devices could be the ominous things_. The gesture didn't escape her notice, and he met a mocking smile, "What?! I don't trust it!"

"Draco...sometimes I think you're a hopeless dork." The blond disliked the statement and punished her with a tickling attack that ended with him casting a last-minute _muffliato_ and a disillusionment charm thanks to the urgently summoned wand before her moans drew the attention from passersby beneath their terrace. Luckily for both, by that time the cleaning woman had left the room.

-oOo-

Fighting his sleep for a few more minutes, he admired her face cradled in the crook of his arm. She had surrendered to exhaustion moments before, after another session of intense lovemaking. Hermione commented, giggling, how he was practising hard for the how-to-impregnate-your-girlfriend-training.

He cut her giggles down, with a flick on her nub. He wasn't drilling at all, his cock knew how to perform perfectly. The practice was going to be postponed until he convinced her to take that potion, aiming for his goal with her approval. Draco was quenching the non-stop thirst for this woman, calming his spirit until it was convinced he wasn't dreaming aloud; that she was actually there, wiggling underneath his touch, clenching and twitching until she snapped into the coil of a new orgasm.

Capitulating under his own exhaustion, he sighed deeply. Hermione was back where she belonged. With him.


	35. Day Forty-Two

***Waves* Hello, my lovely readers! Are we enjoying the summer? Once again, my gratitude for the cleaning-up Magzillasaurus always does to make this comprehensible :)**

* * *

 **Day Forty-Two**

"Hey, Prikens...Pimkens...no….Perkins, yes that's it! Perkins, I'm sorry, me and names…" Draco sneaked literally behind Hermione's back using a perfectly timed distraction from Diana to grab the butler by his collar, "I need your help."

Between the wizard and the butler a cease-fire was in force, mainly to appease his witch. The slimy tosser wouldn't rise in his list of those in high regard anytime soon, but at the moment, he needed the damn plonker.

"Mr. Malone, what can I do for you?" The butler sugarcoated his question, as his duty demanded it.

"We're doing Sydney next right? An overnight stay?" The man nodded, and Draco continued, "I read that you can attend an opera… you see, I want to surprise my lady with a nice show, but I don't know which one we can attend." It pained him to ask the man for help, but there wasn't an Owlery on board to make the necessary requests _was there?_

"I see, Mr. Malone. I'll make the necessary inquiries, sir, the Sydney Opera House has an outstanding reputation, their performances are magnificent." The blond just rose a tiny little in the butler's respect, clearly wanting to spoil his lovely lady quite romantically.

"Well, I want to keep this a surprise for Hermione. Can I count on your discretion?" _Don't ruin it or I'll hex your arse behind her back._

"I understand, Mr. Malone." If it were any other passenger, Perkins would have winked in the conspiracy, but the blond remained the skinflint…

Though seconds later, the butler barely refrained from dropping his mouth in surprise; Draco shoved a brand new hundred-pound note into his hand, "Is this enough? I'm not used to the Muggl-Brittish currency, you see?"

"Thank you, Mr. Malone, there's no need…" _God bless that lovely woman, the young Scrooge is learning some manners._ "I'll contact you, stealthily." Bowing once more, he was left speaking to himself, but he forgave the young man; the blond was generous in his tip, plus Miss Granger was heading their way….

-oOo-

"Is there something wrong? I saw you talking to Perkins." Hermione caught Draco's sneaking out, hoping both men had a polite exchange of words. Perkins might have softened a little towards her wizard, but she suspected it was only limited to when he spoke to both of them.

"No, he's just checking with me to make sure we don't miss the bus." _Did she buy it?_ Luckily, the slimy bastard was talking to another couple, ignoring the Hogwarts pair for the moment. Instants later, it was time to deboard.

-oOo-

The mass of tourists docked at Noumea, the capital of the French territory located on a small peninsula in the southwest corner of New Caledonia's main island _Grand Terre_ , east of Australia. Almost halfway through their cruise.

Draco felt like a reborn wizard, holding her hand determinedly and gazing straight forward, radiating happiness.

Today, his witch was joining him like old times, in complete synergy with him, the contrast couldn't be more significant compared to the last port. There was no doubt about their relationship, nor if he had permission to touch her.

No, this time, you would have to peel him away from her - he'd duel who ever tried, in that case - and his interest wasn't solely focused on discovering what this piece of paradise had to offer. Indeed, his Slytherin traits were curious to locate a perfect spot and experience a new unforgettable tryst. To make her blush and come undone around his cock; bring out her naughty Slytherin side he loved so much, despite her dismissal.

But for now, he perceived the arrival of the Arcadia to this New Caledonia Island as setting foot on a new piece of an absolute paradise. The green colours so vivid, the water so blue and the sand begging to be tested with their bare feet.

This time, the roles were reversed. Discovering information about the Kanak people awakened a curiosity within the wizard, the background screaming mystically in his belief, "Love, see… these Kanak people are supposedly descended from the prehistorical Lapita culture. It says they are the founders of the Polynesian cultures we've been visiting lately."

"Let me see…" However, her attempts to retrieve _her_ tour guide failed one by one, as Draco kept the book out of reach and pointed out with his finger to what he considered utterly fascinating.

He snorted loudly, nose turned up, "Can you believe how rude this is, love? The foreigners called these people _Kanaka Maoli,_ easily translated from Hawaiian into ordinary people. Why call these people ordinary? They don't know them!"

Hermione scrunched up her face at his indignation. Shrugging, she commented, "Reminds me of a certain society, very close to home." _Funny how he felt offended on behalf of this population…_ He gave her a strange look, not making the connection straight away. Covertly, she lifted the charm on her arm to flash him her scar.

His gaze darkened, "I asked for your forgiveness about that specific term, Hermione."

"I'm well aware, but this term…" the finger ticked at the mark, "And the _Kanaka Maoli_ label is a bit of one and the same to me. What's unknown gets described as inferior, filth." But before their conversation would turn into new bickering between them - he _had_ apologised profoundly already - she jerked her chin towards her book, "Is there something more interesting about this culture?"

"How they were enslaved and ended up under French rule..." The rustling of a turning page floated between them as he read a little further before grunting disgustedly, "Agh! It hurts me already by simply looking at it!"

"What hurts you, slavery?" The bus brought them to the parking lot of the _Tjibaou Cultural Centre_ and patiently, they queued towards the exit.

"No, well yes that too, but that's not what I meant. This penis gourdes-thingy, imagine my euh _wand_ incarcerated inside that tube!"

Hermione snickered, "I know you're well-built, but I doubt if your _wand_ fits that far inside the thinner part." She pointed out at the slimmer section, which pointed upwards on the picture. The long yellow tube was worn by an indigenous warrior tightly to the body held up by a thin cord around the man's waist. Its broader base looked attached around the member, but it only covered the penis itself, leaving the ballsack bare. "I wonder if it symbolises how well-endowed these men are, the size of their _wands_ when at full capacity..."

"Do you have complaints?" His side-eye with lifted eyebrow carried a heavy ' _really?'_ vibe. During his youth, Draco had established with certainty that his _Malfoy-wand_ was slightly above average. Even today, he was still more than satisfied with his body's appearance. Yet, the thought of having something imprisoning his most sensitive body part gave him the shivers. The comeback was out before he knew it, "Plus, I _am_ bigger than your _Duracell friend_ , remember?"

"Relax my big hero, I know." She grinned, patting his pectorals, "Hey, I just got an idea! Let us buy one for your father… how small should it be?" The mocking glint shined brightly in her brown eyes, wishing she could see Lucius Malfoy's face as he unwrapped his _phallocrypt_ gift.

"Minx." It forced him to reflect on how his father would adjust to the new reality: his grandchildren half-bloods, and a Muggleborn for a daughter-in-law an addition to their family tree. Nevertheless, it was: adapt or get lost. Hermione was the best thing he had in his life, and his father could go and have a fit if he didn't comply.

-oOo-

They stood before the Tjibaou Cultural Centre, which was everything but a traditional type of museum like the many Hermione visited with her parents. Facing the ocean, large soaring pods - symbolising Kanak huts - stood in a row, constructed from large curved laminated Iroko wooden beams and steel. They formed three clusters of different heights, the bigger pod in the centre of each group representing the Great Hut of a Kanak Chief. Its architectural beauty was breathtaking, which appealed to the Muggleborn and intrigued the Pureblood.

All the structures were connected to a flat lower building, allowing each visitor to move between huts - called cases - the centre of each housing a wide variety of expositions underneath a smartly designed double roof. The camera worked overtime, the blond finger snapping Draco's impulses, other times the little requests from his witch. Following their guide, the pair admired the contemporary art exhibition, watched a short movie evoking the local culture, and were awed at the tributes to the Kanak heritage, including monumental sculptures symbolising the tradition reborn.

The last case paid homage to the slain Kanak leader, after which this centre was named, Jean-Marie Tjibaou. The son of a Kanak Chief had risen to power and envisioned a cultural centre blending the artistic and linguistic heritage of his people, but was assassinated while fighting for Kanak's independence from France. Harshly enough, it was a fellow citizen, an activist that ended his life who believed that New Caledonia would never be independent. At present, New Caledonia held autonomy while still belonging to the European country.

"The Muggle-Born and the Wizarding community shed blood for nothing twice. How much is a life worth nowadays?" Draco reflected while reading through the history of the island. The texts were all in French, but between the two, they were able to grasp the content, thanks to his heritage - the Malfoy's French ancestry and the tradition of learning their mother-tongue - and her ear for languages.

"Sometimes, not even a penny." She laced his fingers and pulled him outside to continue on the second part of their visit, the Kanak Pathway. The trail took them first towards three conical huts, wooden frames built on earthen plinths and thatched covered roofs that resembled the traditional housing. The site was surrounded by totems and other sculptures, nearly all of them neatly captured by Draco for a later review.

The pathway continued through mangroves and pines displaying in the most natural way the native plant species all neatly labelled in French, English and Japanese highlighting not only their important medicinal use but also the symbolism and how they demonstrated the five stages of the mythical founder of the Kanak People. Draco was unfortunately under a time restraint; otherwise, he would have spent more than a day at this place, reading through all the descriptions and taking notes for future use, the potioneer in him revelling in the wide variety of indigenous flora.

"I can see the smoke rising from your head." To Hermione, this was a pleasure to watch. Herbology wasn't her strongest faculty, and the majority of the plants were a mystery, but seeing the wizard skipping almost nothing wherever they passed, her spirit rejoiced at his visible joy. This was a complete reversal of roles, for once he was the swot, the know-it-all, the platinum blond bookworm.

Had Harry or Ron been here, they would have walked over the uneven path, humming here or there just to do her a favour but move on because this wasn't about Quidditch. Draco, on the contrary, had to be pulled towards the bus before it left and she wasn't so at ease about finding the way back on their own. This wasn't like San Francisco or even Hawaii. "Draco, we must go."

"Just that plant over there…" He jogged quickly towards that one last stop.

"You've said the same thing five stops ago, Draco we really have to go." It pained her to pull him away, but this wasn't the place to miss their boat; she had no idea if there was a wizarding community on this island at all, in case of emergency.

"Ah, I know…" The fingers raked through the blond tresses, his fringe was glued to his forehead from the sweat. The sun shined warmly on their skin, and the drops combined with the sunscreen stuck his hair to his skin. "So much to watch, so little time to do so."

"We can always return, use Australia as our travelling point." The idea brightened his spirit.

"I love your quick thinking." He pecked her lips.

Their guide gave them one extra minute for the use of the bathroom, and both used the opportunity to refresh quickly. Draco's face was still dripping by the time he joined her in the bus, but he refused the handkerchief to dry his skin. The drops of water on his skin were a blessing.

-oOo-

Under the large beige umbrella that did nothing to shade them from the heat, they enjoyed a refreshing juice blend of mango, apple and pineapple while waiting for the main dish to be served, _Bougna_ , in its chicken version, mixed with root vegetables - yams and sweet potatoes - plus coconut milk. The entire mixture was cooked in an earthen oven wrapped in banana leaves.

After a while, the server placed the bowl of _bougna_ with the banana leaves opened to reveal and two forks, this wasn't the type of meal to be spooned over to a plate, as the etiquette demanded, but to be eaten from its serving bowl. The earthy aromas mixed with the tender chicken and the big chunks of vegetables stapled according to their consistency, made their tummy's growl in hunger, "Mia, I can eat quite a lot, but I don't think we'll finish this by ourselves."

"Draco, keep talking, and in the meantime, I'll steal all my favourite pieces, this sweet potato is just yummy." Stabbing an orange piece, she danced the fork before his mouth before devouring its content with big munching movements. The next goal was stolen right under her nose. The murderous look was everything but menacing, in Draco's opinion.

The pleasant silence was somewhat disturbed by a loud couple behind them, the lady commenting loudly, "I wonder if the French regime still tests nuclear submarine weapons around these waters."

The companion remarked, "I hope not, the last one was in '96, if I'm not mistaken," while he chewed on a shrimp tail.

Draco mouthed, "Nuclear submarine weapon?"

Hermione flushed her last bite with a sip of water before answering, "Submarines are the vessels like the one in Haiti, remember the Atlantis Submarine?"

The blond nodded, and she continued, "The Muggle army has also submarines as military vessels, to fight in wars, firing mostly torpedos at other ships, and god knows what else." A new nod, but a confused one.

"Remember Haiti and Pearl Harbor with its Missouri and Arizona ship? It's similar warfare but underwater. Torpedoes are these thick tubes with a pointy head that can pierce through the water at high speed until they find a target." Her hands formed in the air the shape of one torpedo. "Chances of surviving one are slim."

"Why experiment with such deadly weapons?" He was connecting the dots between nuclear power and the bombs she explained used against Japan. "Nuclear warhead, does that mean the front has a nuclear bomb inside them?"

"They test the weapons to be sure they are effective, to confirm their range. To know if they are as dangerous as they should be." She fished a strip of chicken from the dish.

"Let me get this straight, they test these lethal weapons to see if they are deadly. But, do they use fake bombs for that, right?" He ate with a little more force, feeling anger rise to the surface. For a second he compared it to Bellatrix's practice sessions of the _Cruciatus Curse_.

"No, otherwise the army doesn't know if they are effective in their explosion." Their plate had reduced by three-quarters now, and she set her fork down, unable to eat one more bite.

"But these nuclear thingies are dangerous; nevertheless, they test them underwater? What about sea life? Do they stop to ponder about if any fish get caught in the explosion?" Their earlier resolution about how violent both communities were in their own terms resurfaced in his head. "It sounds like dear aunty Bella, who loved to exercise her curses on Muggles and Muggle-borns to practice."

"Your comparison is on point." It did sound familiar.

"With the added argument that the environment suffers underneath, Muggles have no respect for animal life. Absolutely none, let us fire a bomb here, a torpedo there, see how much damage it causes and probably even applaud the success."

"I can't disagree." If he put it that way, Muggles did rise on the scale of dangerous species.

"Muggles aren't filthy. They are violent creatures, building weapons of mass destruction, testing their real potential with no regard to the environment, to show off how powerful they are." Furious, Draco crossed his arms across his chest. "I prefer those penis gourdes, at least you can size up the length of your dick without hurting another being."

The couple behind them coughed to hide their smirk.

"We can always suggest that the crew hold a tournament on the ship, see whose dick is the biggest." The man raised his beer glass at that, "Your husband is right, madam, men can be violent creatures. Luckily for humanity, the majority is composed of the calm, law-abiding citizen."

"Your tournament will only happen if the women are allowed to touch, make sure we see the real deal." The woman was quick to counteract, but Hermione couldn't make out if the blush was from her comment or from the prospect of pawing some male parts, with her husband's consent.

"We're not married." Hermione felt the need to dot some I's.

"Darling, from afar you look married, what am I saying? Not from afar, even from up close. Young love…" It was Hermione's turn to blush, Draco wished he could hex the woman on the spot. He had plans to change their status, and the last thing he needed was more meddlers.

"Lee, stop snooping. Let the young couple be." It takes one to recognise the vibe. "We should return to the Arcadia before it leaves us behind. I wonder if Perkins would sound the alarm."

Draco snorted, "You're no fan of Perkins either?"

"I hate how close he gets to me, I'm sure he swings to the other side. My wife Lee loves the ass-kissing though."

"Andrew, shut up."

Hermione chuckled, no doubt who wore the pants...

* * *

 **A.N.:**

 **If you want to see how Bougna looks like, or the astonishing architectural view of the Tjibaou Cultural Centre, pop up on my Tumblr, I've added a few pictures. ruthy4vrsmoak-ed dot tumblr** **dot com**


	36. Day Forty-Five part I

**Sap alert!**

 **All the love for my beta darling, Magzillasaurus.**

* * *

 **Day Forty-Five Part I**

Judging by the overcrowded nose of the Arcadia, not one single passenger wanted to miss the arrival at Sydney's Port Jackson. Draco quickly recognised the two notorious ladies, and his least favourite Viking the furthest away from them, subconsciously shielding Hermione from the man's view - _you never know_.

Closer to them, the grandpa's group flocking together like birds, just like their wives did at a small distance, a view which brought a smile to the wizard's face. _Would that be him later, a few decades from now? He and his mates, grey-haired but better dressed, chatting away while his brunette would have her fun with her friends, and hopefully, Pansy included?_ It wasn't the first time he hoped that his woman would bury the hatchet with his favourite Slytherin witch and become friends, realising all too well that her Potter and the Weasel were a sacrifice he had to face.

The deep horn of the ship announced the approach to the wharf, interrupting Draco's thoughts and forcing the wizard to enjoy the scene and the way the big mastodont manoeuvred its path towards the terminal, briefly giving every passenger the astonishing view of one of Australia's most renowned landmarks: the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Hermione whispered, "Regarding impressive views, this bridge is a match for the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, don't you think?" Draco nodded grinning.

From afar, bikers and cars crossed the one-thousand one-hundred forty-metres long bridge a 'small' three-thousand seven-hundred seventy feet, constructed out of fifty-three thousand tonnes of steel.

She continued, "The guide says the locals lovingly call it the giant coat-hanger."

Draco commented chuckling, "We can see why I guess. Look at its perfect arch." She was sharing trivia details again but _who was he to silence her?_

Her arm pointed out, excited, "Draco, look there to your left!" Their sight wasn't obstructed by anyone, as he used a confundo or two to ensure the best possible spot at the front. "That's iconic Sydney Opera House…" Her mouth fell open, staring at the impressive construction and its iconic roof consisting of a series of gleaming white sail-shaped shells facing the port, like the one monument only a blind person couldn't see.

"I wonder if we would be able to catch an opera tonight? Should we ask Perkins where the ticket office is and try our luck? I have never attended one..." Her enthusiasm was adorable.

"Love, when? We're visiting the Featherdale Wildlife Park after we have climbed this giant steel coat-hanger, and we don't know what time we'll return from the animal park. Though, I'm still baffled that you volunteered to climb such a height." He killed her hopes at the root, to delay the announcement of his surprise as long as possible.

The Opera vouchers were hidden in a special pocket within her own bag, which he protected with an extra notice-me-not charm to avoid peeking. Furthermore, Perkins arranged for separate transportation from the animal park to ensure they would arrive on time for the romantic pre-show dinner, and the best seats in the hall to watch Puccini's opera _Madame Butterfly_. It received outstanding reviews according to the butler, plus the work sounded familiar; his parents attended a performance in Paris if Draco recalled it correctly, his mother didn't stop talking about it for days.

Being the Pureblood he is, Draco wasn't going to arrive at such an elegant venue wearing shorts and a sweaty shirt, neither was his witch. Inside that same hidden bag was his shrunken three-piece suit and the dark red gown she wore at the Captain's dinner the first night - his favourite to date - plus the matching shoes; items he raided during a fast sweep of her closet while she went for a toilet visit. He was so impatient to see her face light up when apperceiving what he pulled off, that he had been jittery since waking up.

"They guarantee in the booklet that you're fastened at all times, plus I count on you to be my hero." She didn't feel at ease about this adventure, but the glint in his eyes when she read the prospect aloud made it nearly impossible for her to reject the activity; especially when the other exciting excursions were trips he also wanted to attend. The description mentioned the presence of experienced guides and a psychologist who'd help you to overcome your fear of heights. _May Merlyn and all the gods help me…_

The anxiety made it nearly impossible for her to eat breakfast, but a nagging wizard and her own talent to comply with instructions forced her to gobble down a plate of pancakes and a bowl of oatmeal with honey - the booklet strongly advised to have a full stomach before starting the climb, but avoid fats, for maximum energy. Her fate was nearing, anyway, her heart rate spiking just upon sight of the landmark. The Arcadia was lining up with the terminal, and the climb was the very first thing on their agenda today.

-oOo-

In a group, they walked towards the climbing base underneath the bridge where an assistant awaited them and split them into groups of fourteen people. Checking in took barely a second, and the pair were ushered into a room where they accepted the disclaimer.

"Good morning, guys. My name is Mitch, and I'll be your guide, your mentor, and especially for the ladies, I can be your gentleman or your personal demon, I leave it up to you. Before we can kick some ass, I need you first to sign the disclaimer where you promise me that you are in good health and fully able to climb with me to the top." The tall and broad young man with an oval face, light complexion and heavy eyebrows above a dark gaze, his hair shortly trimmed aside from a little tuft of brown hair on the top, smiled widely, warming up his audience in no time, except for a slightly jealous blond, who didn't appreciate any bit of the flirting. His posture reminded him a little of Greg, though he had to admit, with a better mood and slightly more athletic build than his friend.

Hermione wrote down her Muggle London address and tilted her clipboard stealthily so he could copy the location, whispering, "Malfoy Manor isn't a street name, is it?" It was in times like this that he appreciated her quick mind, often a step ahead of things. He could see in her face how terrified she felt, the tight lip, the paler complexion aside from how firmly she pinched his hand. Draco had offered to skip this one, but as she wasn't to be convinced otherwise, he made her promise to focus on him and never look down. He hoped she would listen, for once.

Papers were signed, but their guide held a small contraption in his hand, moving from one person to another who introduced themselves while breathing into that device. "Guys, tell me who you are while I measure your blood alcohol levels with this breathalyser. I can't take anyone who has a reading higher than five-hundredths, sorry folks."

"That machine can analyse your breath so accurately?" Draco mumbled seconds before Mitch pointed the device in his direction, "Hello, I'm Drake Malone, from Wiltshire." Quickly copying what he heard his neighbours say.

"I'm Hermione Granger from London." She leaned closer to him, commenting, "That machine can't tell exactly how much, but that there are more traces of alcohol in your breath than it should have. For the accuracy readings, they need a blood sample."

The entire group passed the test and was guided to another room with yellow dots on a circle, "Please stand on a yellow dot for me, I'll pass each of you a blue uniform like mine, pull it over your clothes. This overall will protect you against the cold wind upstairs, you'll thank me later." Mitch was experienced enough to match the correct size to each member of the group, and they moved towards the changing rooms helping each other zip up the uniform.

The bags and all loose items were stored in a locker, Draco's wand quickly thrown into Hermione's purse before she handed him the key dangling on a cord he pulled over his head, imitating the men.

As a herd, the group moved into the last room before the start. Dangling on metal bars awaited a sturdy looking harness, which had to be mounted before strapping it up. The cord circled tightly but not uncomfortably around the legs, waist and shoulders, and a sturdy metal cord had a carabiner that hooked on the safety cable throughout the entire climb. It gave her a sense of safety, but not enough to ease her nerves.

"Is there anyone who has acrophobia, fear of heights? Don't be shy, I'll guide you through the headphones, and you'll conquer your fear after this amazing adventure, but I need to know…" In the end, three women, including Hermione and one man raised an embarrassed hand. "You'll make it, you'll see. I haven't lost anyone yet... this week at least." The mutual chuckle sounded forced from some; Hermione's ended with a threatening note.

After every check, Mitch gave the thumbs up and headed outside, leading them below the highway to the Southeast Pylon, speaking into the headphones, "Alright, in case you didn't notice, there's a handkerchief attached at your side chest on the left side, for the tears of emotion when we reach the top. Ladies, even men cry… of joy, of course, right gents?" The mood was set, "Single lines only, and don't feel embarrassed to hang onto both rails with your hands. For my special guests, one step at a time, you can do it!"

Gathering all her courage, she walked behind Draco in the mandatory single line, carabiner hooked safely onto the steel wire. Mitch elaborated, "We'll climb through four ladders until we reach the start of the arch." At a relaxed pace, they ascended until the steel construction came into view.

With the summit as their goal, they walked along the outer arch on the Opera House side - its slope actually a low incline - stopping a few times so Mitch could point out landmarks in the distance, telling in the meantime all sorts of details and funny stories, shooting pictures of the entire group for later purchase. Draco's wide smile stood heavily in contrast with Hermione's forced grin, though she felt it loosening up the higher she climbed. Mitch was terrific in his encouraging, without burdening the rest of the group with needless cheering up.

Finally, after more than an hour, they reached the very top. Hermione held on to the rail, knuckles taut and white, though she leaned into a snuggling wizard, who snaked an arm around her shoulders and rested his cheek on the top of her head. "This is quite something, eh, love?"

"It's still not my favourite, but I can't deny how romantic it is to see the sunshine on the water, this view is breathtakingly beautiful." She heard the click of a camera all around her, posing for one or two with her wizard, who copied another bloke spreading his arms wide, in a true Titanic Jack move. Her thumbs-up might have risen on the left hand, the right kept holding onto the rail... _who did they think she was? Wonder Woman?_ Hermione only loosened her grip for the group photo, though her arms circled around Draco probably a little too tightly to be comfortable. She tried, she really did.

"Folks, the next part will be crossing the spine of the bridge to the other arch and descending back to base." Hermione's first thought after Mitch's announcement was, ' _oh, shit'_. But the man was an experienced guide and already knew what his special guests were fearing. "To my dear ones, we'll walk nicely, staring straight ahead, one pace after the other. You cannot fall, the crossing is safe and steady. We're not running a marathon, we have time, but I'm not giving you the time to overthink either. Breath normally, believe in yourself, and you'll make it with us." Draco forgave the man's _dear one_ after these encouraging words.

Draco went up front, like before, though he requested over his shoulder, "Admire my blond hair love, instead of my behind this time." Said behind gained a sharp tick, a male snicker reaching her ears immediately after.

Hermione was far from confident, but she stepped through mainly because half of the group walked behind her. Hands crawled over the bar at the same pace as her feet, gaze into the distance and sometimes also on the blond points underneath the blue cap that brushed against his neck. Under her feet, the sound of cars, the horn of a bus or the ringing of a bike bell rose in the air, the usual traffic on a Wednesday morning.

But to her biggest surprise, it was over before she noticed it. There had been a new picture taken before the descent was upon them, which ran smoother than expected. Hermione never looked down but kept her gaze straight forward and soaked in the views the inner arch had to offer, the skyline of Sydney lowering with every step she descended.

In no time the couple was back inside the base, instructed to take off the harness and overall while Mitch took care of their certificate. A half hour later, Draco and Hermione held each other's certificate proudly, along with their group picture and a few others they bought from their journey. The excitement clearly visible in Draco's face on every image and Hermione's features a transition from anxious into delight.

"Now you've conquered your fear, you can join me on a flight over the grounds of the Manor, by dawn or sunset." Draco filed this new experience as unforgettable, next to the snorkelling, the submarine and the turtle release.

"I'm not flying a broomstick, Draco." No carabiners were grounding her to a steel wire on one of those wooden sticks.

"Not alone, fly with me on my Firebolt." It sounded slightly better, he had mastered the broomstick as perfectly as Harry. "I promise not to let you fall."

"I trust your skills, but I'm not keen about sitting on a broom." Maybe he'll forget about it by the time we're back home.

"You haven't flown with me yet. Your Potter is reckless, I'm a responsible pilot." The house held many bad memories, but the grounds had something mystical by twilight or the early morning. An activity to share with her later.

-oOo-

Strolling down the quay in search of a place to eat before their animal park trip, they settled for a trendy restaurant, its patio overlooking the Opera house and the bridge, with a gentle breeze to cool down the noon sun. From the looks, this place was recently opened, all nice and shiny, the typical smell of fresh paint, they didn't spare a dime to refurbish the old warehouse across the harbour into something modern.

The menu consisted mainly of meat, but the waitress advised them to try the Tomahawk steak, a platter to share including dripping potatoes and warm bread; plus the best wine to go along. Climbing the bridge left them hungry, and Draco agreed before Hermione could intervene. The plate described a steak of one kilo, no way she could devour half of it, starving or not…

It wasn't long before a wooden plate was set before them, with a sliced juicy beef cut between them, bone-in. Winking, Draco pierced a piece, cut it in two and fed her the first part.

"Damn, it's been a long time since I've eaten such a succulent steak." Her delighted hum did weird things to his nether regions, but this wasn't the time or place to relieve himself. "The cook over there knows his stuff, Draco."

"I must agree, you can taste the charcoal without the taste of burned meat." He was going to miss this type of food, once back home. The wizarding classical and refined kitchen needed an upgrade, but he didn't see himself becoming the next top chef.

One kilo of meat was devoured quickly, Draco endearing to pick the bone and chew the bits off as if he was eating spare ribs onboard the Arcadia. The muggle habits stuck around pretty easily, in his opinion, though he wouldn't eat this way in front of his parents…

One fulfilled couple and one extremely happy waitress thanks to the large tip later, the pair stood at the meeting point for the Featherdale Animal Park, recognising Henry and Terry plus their wives among the group. Draco rubbed Hermione's back, "Ah, this is going to be fun!"

"Oh boy, Margaret and Louise are joining us, thank god there's no margarita's today." Hermoine shook her head but greeted the two women with a kiss and a quick hug, while Draco received the man-hug, feeling his entire ribcage reverberating from the big pats; his cheeks overly wet from the women's enthusiastic pecks.

Terry rested a hand on the blond's shoulder, "They have a gigantic saltwater crocodile in there, I'll have you stand before me, you're skinnier than I."

Henry barked, "He'll eat him as a starter before starting with his main dish, Ter."

Draco patted his left cargo shorts pocket feeling his wooden companion inside the hidden pocket, _just in case._ He had enough of man-eating reptiles for a lifetime. Hermione soothed his panic, "Crocodiles don't attack unless they feel threatened. They are just playing you."

"Forewarned is forearmed." He came for a koala picture, not to be animal food. _It was time to man up, anyway, being a coward next to your woman is a no-go…_

-oOo-

The trip was supposed to be at your own discretion, but with the two couples joining the tour, instead of a romantic, leisurely journey, it was a never-ending laughter walk through the entire park.

Sensing the young man's fear, Henry and Terry did joke around a little, shouting to the crocodile to have a snack of their friend… "Not much to eat, but we're sure he's tasty, our boy, with the amount of sugar he consumes."

"Chew one of these beer bellies instead!" He retorted quickly but did retreat a few steps from the edge.

Halfway through their walk they bought a kangaroo feeding cup, the curious animal allowing petting in exchange for food, its lips feather lightly picking his choice before it nearly hijacked the cup to devour the remainder. They lost count of who took pictures of who, Draco thinking briefly that trading his magical shots with their friends would require some tweaking first.

The kangaroos were impressive, just like the Wallabies. Meeting a Tasmanian devil was a different beast. Hermione's first thought was how different he looked from her beloved Looney Tunes, not a fat belly, nor a series of threatening teeth - instead, four incisors looked as if they could crush bones. The beast was napping by the looks of things, though when one of her Joeys tripped away, one eye went open to keep tabs.

"He looks tame," Draco remarked, not really impressed with the animal.

Hermione stretched her arm, "Read that board." It stated ten facts, and she chuckled as he did retreat a few steps when his eyes fell on the descriptions of a large carnivorous creature of his sort, his mouth opening up to almost a ninety-degree angle and its teeth able to crush bones for consumption. "Is she tame, in your eyes?"

"Let us move on, I'm curious about the koalas." _He could be so easy to read…_

 _The cuddle level of a Koala makes everything else pale in comparison to besides dolphins_ , thought Draco. He enjoyed touching the little turtle in Port Vila, but releasing the juvenile Luna into the ocean wasn't really snuggly. Koalas, on the other hand, were like the cuddly stuffed animals in his bed when he was a child.

To his deception, the ranger forbade them from holding one - it was against regulations because it caused stress on the animal. For that reason alone, the wizard refrained from using a confundo. That and a warning glare from his witch also, if he was honest. Though, causing stress on an animal didn't feature in his list of favourite actions, either.

What they could do was pet the animal and have the picture as a remembrance. Draco didn't wait for her plea, buying them one and handing over his own camera to have a few more taken of them rubbing the fury belly, laughing overly cheesily in some, but _hell, who cared?_

"We'll hex anyone who dares to laugh at our pictures." It was his witch that voiced a thought, not that he would stop her.

"I'll help you with a few nasty ones of mine, love." Draco acknowledged that together, they formed a pair to be reckoned with. Her light side and his dark one complemented each other in perfect synergy.

-oOo-

Draco used a moment of distraction to grab Henry and Terry aside, "We'll be leaving before you guys. I have a surprise planned for my lady, but I don't want you to think we're abandoning you."

Henry nodded slowly, "Our boy is learning." Mimicking Terry, who asked, "What have you up in your sleeve?"

"Catching an opera after a pre-show dinner." He scouted the perimeter first, before spilling his beans.

"Madame Butterfly? We're also attending, but you won't see us, I promise." Terry elaborated. "Romantic gesture, my son. Well thought of you."

"I hope she likes it." The closer it came, the more eager he got.

"Have a handkerchief on hand for her, it's a tear jerker." Henry advised, "Plus stroll down the quay a little before heading to the ship. It's the perfect setting for some more romance, if you get my vibe."

"I thought of it, but I have not the time nor the idea of a decent location where I can purchase what I have in mind." Stupidly enough, Draco kept telling Henry more than he planned at first, _did he hunger so much for a real grandpa?_

"What you have in mind can follow later. Am I wrong to think that your girl doesn't give a damn about bling bling, very unlike my wife?" Henry was a marshmallow for this sort of thing, this boy was growing on him.

"You read her perfectly. That's why I don't want to rush the acquisition." It seemed as if Margaret was stalling Hermione's return, in the distance.

"Follow your heart, your wallet can close in later." Henry winked at his wife, biting back the next thought for the moment, confident the young man didn't know it could happen onboard their ship. Young love was his weakness, he was really getting old and sappy.

"I might…"

* * *

 **A.N.:** **We are half-way their cruise, by now a monster of over 100k that when I started it back in November was supposed to be a Nanowrimo challenge of 50k. It's becoming my mastodon of a fic, I'm proud of it and of the number of loyal readers and reviewers. 100k times thank you!**

 **I** **turned Sydney and the next port Brisbane into something important, so I'm taking my time to move on with the upcomming chapters. Bear with me, if I can't update weekly, I promise to make it worth the wait.**


	37. Day Forty-Five Part II

**Day Forty-Five Part II**

"Why are you in such a hurry?" Hermione trotted after Draco as he dragged her away from Margaret by the hand, waving goodbye to the gang in the passage.

"We have to be somewhere, and there's not much time left." He saw the exit in the distance, plus a yellow vehicle at the front - probably the taxi Perkins arranged.

"Draco, the bus is leaving within a half-hour, we can go nowhere..." His hurried tread baffled her, "Where are you bringing us to?"

"All in time, love." He shushed her or at least attempted to.

" _Mista'_ _Malon'_?" An older man dressed in yellow polo and khaki cargo shorts, the hands crossed at the belly, stood in front of a yellow taxi with a triangular publicity board perched on its roof. The man's brown features were clearly indigenous, the ageing wrinkles around the eyes as silent witnesses of a burdened life, although the smile - which missed a tooth or two - was unmistakably genuine. His hair was razor cut but couldn't hide the grey strands.

"Yes, that's me, I mean us..." Draco raised his hand, rushed Hermione inside of the taxi and followed swiftly before closing the door, "Good afternoon."

"I take you and your lady to Opera House, right?" The man asked for confirmation of his task, revealing in the meantime, their destination.

Draco gritted a little from frustration, "That's correct." The man nodded, smiling from ear to ear and utterly oblivious to the mild irritation of his blond passenger for blowing his cover so early.

"Are we heading to the opera? But… Draco, we don't have tickets... Draco, we don't even know what they are playing tonight; if it's something that appeals to us..." It baffled Hermione that her Pureblood boyfriend arranged a taxi all by himself.

"No, not the opera, we are going to a hotel." Technically, it was no lie, merely a temporary omitting of details. The close-by Pullman hotel would serve as a closer freshen-up spot, before dining at the Bennelong which - according to the butler - had impeccable service and one of the best chefs in Sydney behind its pans and pots.

"Ah, ooh…" Her face dropped slightly. For a second she thought he pulled it off, one way or the other. "I want to see an opera one day, just like Vivian on Pretty Woman. Remember the scene? She was trying to see through the binoculars and how she cried at a certain point…"

"Are you speaking of that tosser who feared heights and the bint who lost a snail in the restaurant?" _Damned, I knew I forgot something… no beautiful necklace for her dress._

"Yes, Draco. The man who conquered his fear to be her knight." She let out a short miffed puff. His opinion about the movie was the opposite of her own.

The taxi pulled over at the entrance of the Pullman, and after using his black credit card to pay for the ride, Draco laced his fingers with Hermione's and pulled her into the lobby - the area bathing in the light from the large window facade - straight towards a receptionist, "I'm Drake Malone, we have a reservation."

"Just a minute, Mr. Malone, let me check." The young blond woman tried to focus on typing the correct name into her system, but her shaking fingers were uncooperative. Those piercing grey eyes and the dominant voice shook her professionalism to the core. "Mr. Malone...ahm...oh…" She kept typing the wrong letters, rattled by the taping finger on the marmer counter.

"Draco, be kinder," Hermione whispered in his ear, knowing what the blush meant on the woman's face. "It's written m-a-l-o-n-e and then d-r-a-k-e, Malone Drake."

The receptionist took a deep breath and centred herself. "I found it a room for one night for two people, including breakfast. I see that your bag has already been delivered to your room, also. How many keys do you need, Mr. Malone?"

Hermione beat Draco, "One will be enough." She accepted the card from a shaky hand before the wizard could snort. The roles became reversed, Hermione grabbing Draco in an iron hold, towards the elevators, entering the first one while it still opened the doors, pressing impatiently on the number five hoping no one would travel along.

"Draco, you have to be a bit calmer. She was nearly in tears."

He retorted, "I _am_ calm. I do not want to waste any time on small details." The ping announced their arrival. "Where to?" He looked at the hall on both sides.

"Room 538, to the left. Whoo..." She staggered from the yank at her hand. Patience was far from the present; obviously, Draco hauled her in the right direction.

Lying on the bed were two black suit bags and a small tote. While Hermione was admiring the room and its view over the Sydney bridge, Draco unzipped one bag after the other and freed the coat racks, "I brought you my favourite dress. We'll take a shower together to be faster, and then you'll put this one on, I have my suit with me."

"Why do I need my cocktail dress?" Inside the tote, she found her toiletries, including the sleek-easy potion, his shaving items and a few more essentials. "Where are we going?"

"We're dining in a fancy venue, and I want us to be dressed to the nines." She wasn't moving fast enough for his taste, so he inched closer, grabbed the hem of her polo and ripped it over her head.

Hermione blinked in surprise, but patted his hand away when it headed to the front opening of her pink bra, "Stop it, I can undress by myself." Instead of her underwear, she opened her shorts and let it fall at her feet with a soft plop. "How did you arrange this room?"

"Perkins helped me." He toed off his shoes at the same time he released his shorts and underwear in one move. Socks followed next, Draco stood proudly naked before his witch, hands at his waist while admiring her flushing skin. "I see you still need help."

Taking a deep breath, she shed off her last item, her bra. He ticked on her bum, making her yelp, "Cheeky witch, start the water, I'm bringing the toiletries."

-oOo-

"You _are_ taking me to the Opera, Draco." The pair drew quite a lot of attention, him in a tailored black suit, white shirt and black bowtie, and she walking in high heels, dressed in the gown he saw her the first night in, the dark red choker dress with a low cut back and cleavage. Draped around her arms was a black chiffon stole shawl he found wrapped over another dress.

"No, I'm not, I'm taking you to the Bennelong for dinner." Instead of a hurried pace, he treaded with large steps, revelling in the attention he received from other men, eyeing the beauty on his arm. One of his favourite moments to date.

"Is this the fancy venue you told me about?" The stab at her heart pressed again; the restaurant did have fantastic reviews, located on the front side of the quays square, underneath one of the iconical pointed roofs of the opera house. _How much did she wish she was attending tonight's performance, no matter which one._

The Maître D waited at his booth, bowing in greeting, "May I have your name, please?"

"Malone, table for two." This was the Malfoy attitude at work. He memorised it from the countless times he watched his father announce his arrival, finally performed by him in a decent setting.

As promised by their butler, their table had a sea-view the round table clothed according to the etiquette with multiple cutlery and glasses, a romantic candle burning at the centre.

A waiter filled their water glasses and handed over the menu.

"Draco, it says pre-show dining." The header of the list was the first thing she noticed.

"Love, simply choose and don't mind about meaningless details." He saw it in her face the longing for a performance, heard the wistful sigh, but Draco wanted to keep his plans a secret as long as possible. Eyeing his menu, he decided to choose whatever she took, wondering what a baby cos was and deciding this wasn't the time to try an escabeche of octopus.

A waiter interrupted Hermione's rebuttal to offer a glass of prosecco and a plate with a warm bread roll and butter, "Can I take your choice, or do you need some more time?"

Draco confirmed after a nod from his witch, "We're ready. Hermione?"

Her nod was absent-minded, still overwhelmed by the entire course of events. She named the first dish where she recognised the main ingredient, "I'll take the pumpkin soup, the chicken breast, and the dessert sounds delicious."

"Very well, Miss, your choice is our delicious pumpkin and coconut soup with coriander, lemongrass and lime leaf, followed by our perfectly roasted breast chicken with truffle polenta, cauliflower and a delicate hazelnut crumble, and your meal will end with a poached turmeric spiced pear, vanilla rice pudding and coconut crumble?"

She bobbed her head, having lost half of the descriptions. Nothing stood out as unsavoury; on the contrary, it increased her upcoming hunger. Her fingers tingled to tackle the warm bread with its delicious aroma.

"Mr., can I have your choice?" The waiter was drier than Perkins in Draco's opinion. Too much ass-kissing to his taste, but it came with the package.

"I'll have what my lovely woman has chosen." The remaining options were no option at all, in the end.

During the meal, they chose to have small talk, reviewing the animal park foremostly, and their close encounter with the koalas. The food was indeed tasteful, though the portions could have been bigger to Draco's taste.

Often they fell in comfortable silence, admiring the passing boats; how the nightfall chased the sun away turning the entire area of Sydney's harbour into one of the most romantic scenes to watch. The lights of the Harbour Bridge gave its folks' name all the justice, underlining the iconic clothing hanger shape.

The dessert was more to Hermione's taste than Draco's, the spiced pear especially was not his cup of tea. With a cheeky smile, she traded her rice pudding for his pear, having devoured hers in a heartbeat.

"Do we return to our hotel room?" She was lost about the course of the evening. The entire time, Draco sported a half-looped knowing smile, smouldering her hope of attending an opera after all. But every attempt at solving the mystery was deflected by one or another diverting answer.

"No, we'll go for a walk." He signed the slip, accepting the added tip to the total. If they added eighteen per cent for service than the fifty dollars he tallied for the taxi ride wasn't excessive at all. The driver had been more friendly and looked more in need than this tosser in his penguin suit.

Patting his chest pocket to feel his vouchers - he paid attention to Perkins explanation as impressing Hermione was his main goal - Draco offered his elbow and guided her outside, walking down the long flight of stairs to the forecourt. There was an inside passage from the restaurant into the main entrance to the Opera House, yet he chose to ignore it.

Forgoing her longing, she leaned her head against his shoulder while holding his arm with both hands. Opera or no Opera, she didn't object to walking with him between a sea of people, impeccably dressed. She felt proud of him at her side, this good-looking wizard who didn't forget to bring her stola against the chilly sea wind.

Hermione expected him to walk further towards the harbour, but he turned left. "Where are we going?"

"You'll see in a second." He followed the stream of people heading towards the entrance underneath the stairs they just descended. "Do you know anything about Madame Butterfly?"

"Not really, only that's a dramatic love story." The closer they got to the main entrance, the heavier her heartbeat. Especially when a poster came to view...of Madame Butterfly. "Draco are we...?"

He smiled widely, before pressing a kiss on the top of her head, "Maybe."

"Oh my god, I was so sad thinking we were so close but didn't have the chance!" The spark in her eyes that had simmered halfway through the night returned in full force, lips pulling into a giddy smile. She threw herself at him, stopping him in his tracks, "Oh, Draco. I love you so much. Thank you! Thank you!" Placing full pecks on his lips between her thank yous.

He chuckled at her enthusiasm, seeing his efforts pay off.

"How did you...?" Admiration was written all over her face.

"I asked the tosser for help, and he did his job well." He still didn't like the butler a bit. Setting her back on her feet, he kissed her, cradling her cheeks in his palms, and proceeded to the entrance.

"Where are we sitting? In the stalls or the circle?" Her cheeks sported a healthy blush.

He handed over the vouchers to an attendant, Perkins warned him they didn't work with classic tickets. The small theatre offered no private booths, unlike the theatres in London; however, the butler guaranteed that their centre seats at the Stalls offered an excellent view of the stage. _Or else…_

Nevertheless, the venue impressed both wizard and witch, though one couldn't wait until the curtain was up. "I'm afraid you will not need binoculars, Perkins explained that those loges upstairs offer a restrictive view, sadly, and I wanted to give you the best view."

Hermione suggested, "Being here is already enough, Draco. We can always redo it back home, for that specific experience. We must attend the Lion King Musical at the Lyceum Theatre!"

It was his turn to be clueless as he watched other patrons take their seats, one wearing a hideous headpiece that even his mother would loathe. When one bloke threatened to obscure Hermione's view with his significant stature, his wand came handy to lower the man's seat. The tosser was escorted to another place, once the staff couldn't understand why the chair sank through its support.

Their wait finally paid off, the curtain went up, and the opera began.

From the first second, Hermione was enthralled by the story. The powerful Puccini aria supporting the first of three acts grabbed her attention immediately as strongly as the costumes and the set.

The opera told the story of a US Navy Marshal, Pinkerton who, enthralled by the beauty of Japan, marries a young Geisha out of convenience, though he plans to abandon her to find a proper American wife. The 15-year-old Geisha, _Ciocio_ \- which means butterfly - excited to become his spouse renounces her Japanese Buddhist religion to become a Christian. However, her uncle - a monk - curses her for her decision and forces the entire family to disown her. She remains behind without a husband - who returned to America - and without a family; her only companion, a maid Suzuki.

When the second act starts, three years have passed, and Ciocio lives with her two-year-old son and the maid when the consul announces the Marshal's return forgoing of telling the rest of the letter he received from Pinkerton. Butterfly spends the entire night waiting for Pinkerton's arrival.

The curtains closed for the customary break, "I don't want a pause, I want to see it in one go." Hermione whined. "It's so beautiful, but I sense a dark ending."

Following the storyline was easy, Draco knew snippets from his mother, and the subtitles under the stage translated the Italian dialogues though none of the two needed to read a line to understand the emotions each aria carried forth.

Draco had spent most of the time watching her expression instead of paying attention to the performance. Her big smile during the wedding, her eyes blinking at the enthusiasm of the young Geisha, her face of unbelief when the monk sent everyone away and her frown when she learned that Pinkerton left his wife shortly after the wedding.

"I bet he's returning with an American wife." Hermione bit her lip, Draco using a thumb to rescue the abused spot.

"I'm not saying a thing." He accepted a flute of champagne from a waiter and passed it to her, taking a second glass and sipping the bubbly drink.

"Have you seen it before?" Hermione's voice rose; the room became noisy very quickly.

Draco shook his head, "My parents have, and my mother told me a synopsis."

"So you know how it will end?" She prodded between sips.

"More or less, but I'm not telling you a thing. I want you to enjoy the show." The bar had a view towards the quay, and he looked into the city.

"That's not a good sign. I hope she doesn't do anything dramatic. She deserves a happy life. It's so obvious she fell in love with him."

Draco tilted his head, "I don't call it falling in love, rather feeling infatuated. She didn't know him beforehand, they barely courted before the wedding." The bell rang, announcing the start of the third act. "We must go back." He slammed the last of his flute, glad he ate dinner before. Champagne tended to rise quickly to the head, on an empty stomach. He guided her back to the seat, hand at her lower back.

The hall darkened, and Hermione's hand sought Draco's, the anxious feeling squeezing her heart as precognition.

The stage lights up with a sleeping Butterfly, while her maid welcomes the consul, Pinkerton and his American wife Kate, who agreed to raise Ciocio's son as her own. But when the Marshall sees how much effort Butterfly did to welcome him home, he flees like a coward and leaves the consul and Kate behind to tell the Geisha the truth and to agree with giving up her child.

"What a coward," Hermione whispered angrily. "If it was me…"

"He couldn't sit on his arse for at least a week." Draco murmured back, squeezing her palm. He laced their fingers, knowing the most moving part was about to happen. His mother's retelling had been so passionate about this particular fact, that it was impossible to forget.

The third act commences.

Ciocio concedes to give up her son, under the condition that Pinkerton comes to see her one last time. The Marshall agrees, but when he arrives at her house, he witnesses her suicide; Butterfly slices her belly deeply open with the ritual Japanese knife seppuku - which belonged to her father, and had an inscription: Who cannot live with honour must die with honour. She dies nearly instantly after one last kiss on her son's head, who stood next to her blindfolded, waving a mini American flag.

Hearing it from someone and seeing it happen is a world of difference. Draco swallowed dryly to get rid of the lump in his throat, ignoring the stab in his heart when he heard Hermione sob. "Oh, love. This isn't a true story."

"I know, but it's so heartbreaking..." Her tears streamed down her cheeks, chin trembling. She wasn't the only one in their row to cry at the dramatic ending, using the back of her hand to dry the corner of her eyes. "I hate Pinkerton."

Draco took his handkerchief and blotted her face, "If it's a comfort, my mother also cried at this point. She even sobbed while telling me about the end."

"Well, now we have something in common." She joined in the standing ovation, overwhelmed as much by the powerful singing as by the excellent acting performances.

Picking up the stola, Hermione headed outside behind a long row of people. The slightly cold breeze was welcome to calm her senses. Draco used his coat to drape it over her shoulders, while they descended to the lowest level and walked along the harbour to their hotel.

Hermione wrapped her arm around his waist, her head resting on his shoulder.

His thumb stroked her shoulder, pressing her tighter against his frame. Suddenly he stopped, turning them around to view the sea. The moonlight played with the soft rippling on the water. Instinctively, Hermione turned to face him.

Draco raked his fingers through her hair, loosening up her curls from the bun, cupping her cheek to lift her gaze to his eyes, "I love how passionate you can be about a mere opera."

"I saw you blink a tear or two as well, Draco." She countered softly.

"You're imagining things. Malfoy men don't cry over sad stories." He chuckled, kissing one eyelid then the other. "He should have never married the Geisha in the first place."

"I agree, Mr. Malfoy-don't-cry." Hermione leaned against his palm, adoration written all over her face, the heartbreaking finale digested by now.

"Who needs a second wife, when you have a magnificent woman at your side?" He kissed her softly, "Have I told you tonight how much I love you?"

"No, but you have shown me. Why go to such great lengths just to make a dream of mine come true?" Her arms snaked around his neck, for a tight hug. Not even a breeze could come in between.

"I love you, Hermione. I love you and I wan-" He stopped mid-way. The words were burning on his lips, his heart making saltos inside his chest, wanting to pop the question.

But a promise he made himself a few weeks ago came in between. A commitment to restore something in her life that his side took away from her. That and the lack of a ring. He could barely wait to hear her say yes, but he wanted to do it having a decent piece of jewellery to shove down her finger and make it official to the world.

Just words weren't enough.

"What do you want?" She spoke against his lips, curiously.

"I...want…" He nozzled the crease of her neck, "I want to make love to you in that gigantic bed, looking out to the harbour."

"We should return quickly then." Hermione pressed a kiss near his ear before taking the lobe between her teeth. He hissed. "I want it too, Draco. I have to thank you properly for such a romantic night."

They didn't walk back. He almost ran, with her in tow.

* * *

Author's note:

First, thank you, my dear Magzillasaurus, for performing your magic on this chapter.

Second, I have to apologise for the delay in updating. I lost a dear fandom-friend begin July, someone I got to know close and personally, with whom I shared my fangirl-crush on Tom Felton. Her passing affected me more than I expected, numbed my writing-muse so severely that I stopped writing at all. It has taken a lot of energy to get back on the rails, and I do need you guys to kick my arse into my writing-train again.

I can promise you this. It might take a while, but I will finish this story because I have its ending in my mind, and it goes beyond returning to Southampton. I will not abandon any of my wip's, but my speed is slower than the usual.

Thank you for your patience. I hope you're all still aboard the Arcadia (which is a real cruise ship, google it if you want to check it out!)

Love to all of you.


	38. Day Forty-Six Part I

**Freshly beta'd by my Magzillasaurus, the next part is almost finished! Thank you for being so awesome, and sorry for being so behind on answering reviews.**

* * *

 **Day Forty-Six Part I**

"Sleeping beauty, wake up so you can feed the beast," Draco whispered in her ear, mouth pulled into a half-smile when she mewled lightly in answer. The sheet pooled at her waist, leaving her bare spine at his mercy; he traced the column with two fingers and saw them be swat away as if he was an annoying tickling mosquito.

"My dear swot, will you wake up?" It was too early for his taste also, but Perkins advised him to be on time to the docking area for their tour. Plus, skipping breakfast for an hour of extra sleep was unwise, knowing the exploration of the Blue Mountains would require hiking and walking. He needed his energy today.

He had exhausted her yesterday evening, making love to her in a languid and thoroughly satisfying way, though it cut short their night's rest. "Mmm, five more minutes," Hermione grumbled into the pillow.

"Miss Granger, if you don't lift your perky arse up out of this bed within the next minute, I'll spank it until it has a nice rosy colour. Your wizard is feeling hungry and is about to unleash the growling monster." He pulled the sheet away, swatting her globe over her lacy knickers as a demonstration.

"Grr, I don't like you very much at the moment," she bit out, stumbling away loudly to the bathroom.

Shaking his head with a broad smile, he decided to give her a two-minute head start, before joining her under the shower. Allow her ire to cool down to avoid a wandless hex on his arse. He had endured several of those already.

-oOo-

The pair stood at the ramp between a small group of young passengers.

Draco buzzed in excitement, there was a cable-car ahead, a skyway and a railway, one term weirder than the other and he was clueless about they represented, yet, aside from the stone prison in San Francisco, he would redo everything.

Hermione, on the contrary, was still recovering from her short night of sleep. Last night her imagination dreamed of hurting Pinkerton most painfully, using the Japanese _seppuku_ to this end. Draco woke her up exactly when she was spanking the man's arse repeatedly with the flat side of the ritual sword after she snatched it out the young Geisha's grip moments before she would sacrifice her life. Old-fashion revenge tasted utterly sweet.

"Love, I wonder… what's a cableway?" Draco accepted the leaflet from the guide and sat them front row on the bus' top floor.

"A car which hangs on two cables and moves from one point to the other." The light growling of the engine almost lulled her into sleep. At the hotel, she ate her breakfast diligently, not her usual granola and fruit, but a hearty meal of eggs, bacon, hashbrowns and sausage plus two pancakes Draco ordered for them without consulting her. She opened her mouth to rebut him, but he claimed that she was going to need the calories. _As if he knew what calories were..._ He muted her comeback by shoving a fork full of scrambled eggs into her mouth, flashing her his sugar-coated grin, _the devil._ "Why do you ask, Draco?"

"Huh, nothing, Hermione. A word I saw in our excursions book." He deflected momentarily, _avoid at all costs a possible change of plans until it's too late to abandon the bus_. "We're enjoying nature scenery again, aren't you excited?"

"Hmm." She snuggled closer to him, head resting on his shoulder. _If only I could steal some of his morning enthusiasm to reload my batteries._

-oOo-

After two and a half hours, the bus stopped at Echo Point Lookout. Draco had taken in the entire trip, shooting here and there a picture, Hermione slept through the ride.

The moment Hermione stepped out of the bus, her sleep evaporated as if someone hoovered the tendrils at lightspeed. Their coach was the third to arrive on the spot and to both their pleasure, the majority scattered elsewhere, leaving their group to be the first to explore the lookout.

Once more, it was one of those moments where words were superfluous, the view before them simply idyllic. Under the bright blue sky, tufts of clouds hugged the eroded mountains ahead like fluffy white arms, the bottom covered in a green carpet of trees that seemed to stretch on endlessly. The concrete lookout with metal fences offered a complete hundred-eighty degree viewing of the Blue Mountains and its Jamieson Valley.

Behind the group, an Aboriginal guide shouted to be heard above the wind, "Before you at your left, you see three small mountains, known as Three Sisters. The aboriginal legend tells the story of three sisters, _Meehni, Wimlah and Gunnedoo,_ who belonged to the Katoomba tribe but fell in love with three brothers from the Nepean tribe. However, the tribal law forbade their marriage, and the brothers wanted to capture the women. To prevent their abduction, the witchdoctor turned the sisters into stone, but was murdered before he could reverse the spell."

Hermione whispered, "Will your father do the same when he hears about me?"

"His arse will be turned into stone by my wand before he speaks the last of his curse." Draco stood behind her, arms around her waist, leaning his chin on her right shoulder. He pressed a kiss on her neck.

"... there are other versions of this story. Adjusted with time to fit the teller, but it always comes down to three women turned into stone to _so-called_ protect them but never regaining their lives back as the cursing party dies in the meantime." The group chuckled at the guide's funny remark. "Beyond the Three Sisters, you see the Ruined Castle formation and Mount Solitary, covered in green bushes. I honestly recommend walking the trails if you have the time, they are worth the effort."

"Another item on our to-redo list, love. Some ports demand more than one overnight stay, to do it all decently." He embraced her quickly and reached for her hand to walk along with the group.

"I'll have to confer with my savings first, Mr. Malfoy, travelling isn't cheap, you know?" She countered missing the guide mentioning the skyway next.

"Don't break your head about financial stuff, that's for later." He knew the solution already, when she became a Malfoy, the access to his vaults extended rightfully to her as well. _All in time…_

They neared the platform to the skyway. The yellow gondola shaped cabin entirely made of floor-to-ceiling windows and metal, hung by wheels on sturdy iron cables. Even from where he stood, Draco saw it would cross over the valley and offer views that would rival those he relished on a breaking dawn flight over the Manor grounds. Though, knowing their previous experience over St. Lucia's rainforest, he second-guessed his decision to omit the specifics about their excursion.

Briefly, his thoughts travelled to that particular journey. How he even then didn't mind her arms snaked tightly around his body, seeking assurance as if he was her protector. No, today, he didn't care to be her hero again, he only hoped her panic wouldn't be all too dramatic.

"People, our cable-car carries eighty-four people every ten minutes, make sure you do not only admire the view from the windows but also the one through the glass bottom." The guide was counting heads, cutting the line to keep his group together.

"Cable-car?" Hermione's attention snapped forward, "Draco, it looks like the aerial tram ride at St. Lucia."

"This one has closed windows." His arm curled protectively around her shoulders, "I'll hold your hand the entire journey."

She whined, "Merlin, I didn't read the description properly, Draco…did you know?"

He had the decency to look guilty, "I had an inkling," lips pursed, "Yet, it promised dramatic sceneries… I'll not abandon you, we can't fall down, look at how strong those cables are."

"It's going to shake…" Despite her complaints, she followed the flock and entered the car. "Ah, shit, I can see the bottom!" She looked terrified, nearly jumping on Draco's back.

The guide comforted her, "This Swiss-made cabin will glide smoothly over seven-hundred twenty-metres of nature, no need to fear, madam."

The man thought to smooth; however, she whined anxiously, "720? That long? Oh, Christ."

"Hermione, I see a chair. Sit down and relax, you'll be safe." Draco perched his arse next to her on the elevated centre surface, entirely in glass aside from a few metal rails between.

She took a deep breath, "Is this the only ride from hell?"

Her fingers squeezed nearly all the blood from Draco's fingers. He had to release some of the pressure with the help of his other hand, "Love, I would like to keep my hand, please?"

"Draco, is there another ride I should worry about?" She released almost nothing of the tension, "Be honest, please."

"We're going to the valley by train, then there's a boardwalk through the forest towards a cableway back from where we started. From there, we go for a late lunch." He rattled off by heart, not sparing even a glimpse at the leaflet on his back pocket.

"If I can do a descending railway, I'm sure a cable-car going up is less of a frightening experience." She kept breathing large intakes of courage, noticing the beauty of the scenery despite her fear. "Go and take some pictures, Draco. It's lovely outside, and at least you have enough guts for both of us to venture close to those scary windows."

He pressed a kiss on the top of her head, taking the camera out of her tote. In the end, he walked the entire cabin snapping picture after picture from every angle possible, plus from the glass bottom, and a few of his witch, who held on to her seat and nearly crushed the edges, looking more often down to her feet than forward.

He found it actually adorable, his muggleborn witch looking scared like a tiny mouse; thanking the wizards, at the same time, that her genuine fear didn't translate into a dramatic scene to attract the most attention.

Satisfied, he pulled her by the arms, sat down on the chair and perched her on his lap, rubbing soothing circles where his fingers touched her arm, "We're almost there, enjoy the last moments, I have your back."

"I hate skyways." She squeaked.

His chuckle vibrated against her frame, "I know."

The arrival was bumpier than desired, Hermione held his arm in a vice hold instinctively. It forced him to rise to his feet, with her in his arms and set her down determinately. "Be a big girl for me, we're here."

Although…

The leaflet described it as the steepest railway in the world, they omitted the fact that the train was also a glass cabin like the skyway and descended at a sharp angle. The boarding gates displayed the three different settings to their chair to maximise their experience, going from cliffhanger to laid back.

The train arrived at its inclined platform, the brakes grinding to a full stop. Hermione's first impression was of a car waiting until someone snapped the rubber and shot it into the air. She hissed, "We're not sitting in the front row, Draco Malfoy!" Even if he offered a million galleons, no hair on her head thought travelling with her seat on the cliffhanger position to experience the trip extra steeply. Hermione moved between the group to secure a row in the middle, a reluctant Draco closely behind. The front row promised to be a blast.

He suggested, "Look up instead of forward, the ceiling is in glass anyway," letting her step in first.

"Where's the bloody lever?" Hermione looked all over for the bar to adjust the seat position, but to her horror, it stood on his side, "Draco…" He grinned like a Cheshire cat and held a hand above the lever, caressing the top with a finger. Holding her hands in prayer, she pleaded, "Don't...please…" head bobbing left to right.

Draco wiggled twice before adjusting the seat, nearly yelping startled. Their row shifted into a laid back position, while he kept his stance as a guy two rows down, leaning forward as if it stood on the cliffhanger setting, "Always a Slytherin at heart, love…"

She huffed, grabbed the bar and held on as tightly as possible, her knuckles blanching from the restraint.

The train started his journey slowly...but picked up speed quickly and dove straight through a dark old mine tunnel. "Woohoo!" His grin couldn't be broader, despite feeling his stomach soaring inside his body. In seconds, the train was a mix of loud cheers and screams.

To Draco, this ride rivalled the thrill of his first Firebolt flight; in contrast to Hermione, who screamed her lungs out, "Oh, shit...that's so high...oh my god... I'm in a bloody rollercoaster… AH FUCK…" hiding her face in her arm.

At a certain point, the track flattened, and she breathed more at ease, thinking the worst was behind her. Alas, she plummeted down, "Noo! Not again, DRACO! AGH!"

She closed her eyes. The will to look up and admire the rainforest they crossed was blurred completely by her fear, "I'm not doing this again, EVER!"

He laughed non-stop, thrilled.

In the end, the ride lasted no longer than five minutes, but to her seemed endless before the train slowed down and arrived at the terminal. Once outside, her first reaction was to land several hits on his shoulder, "I'm not doing this again, it was like riding the Big Thunder Mountain with my dad, extra steep!"

A man a few feet away received similar treatment from his horrified wife, and he traded a compassionate look with Draco. The blond, however, grinned, catching her wrists and pulling her inside the circle of his arms, "Relax, you weren't in any danger. If only I could do this again, sitting front row."

Another male tourist said, "I'll go with you. My wife chickened out just like yours."

Said wife took her bag and hit the man's back, "Chicken out?" Another blow, "It was pretty steep!"

Hermione gave Draco a resentful once-over, throwing her arms in the air, "Be my guest! Jump on this train and come back with the next. Go!"

The dark-haired man clapped Draco on his shoulder, "Come on, mate. Let us escape now before they change their mind. We'll have to make up for the lost time, by walking faster on the trail."

A dozen minutes later, a shouting Draco exited the train, "Yes! Oh, Hermione! That was amazing," He kissed her fully on the mouth, "Just like skydiving with the Firebolt chasing the snitch. Bloody hell, this was fantastic!"

She nodded with small movements, not sharing his fun.

"You must show me your Mountain one day…" He laced their fingers together. "Where do we find it?"

* * *

 **A.N.: If I could only share the spamming I receive from the research I do on each adventure chapter... :D**


	39. Day Forty-Six Part II

**Freshly beta'ed by my dear Magzillasaurus.**

* * *

 **Day Forty-Six Part II**

" _You must show me your Mountain one day…" He laced their fingers together. "Where do we find it?"_

"In Paris, at Disneyland." Her and her big mouth, she hated the rollercoaster and knew he would love it. Her father had pushed her into one ride _because one must experience everything at least once_ … well, you're scarred for life afterwards, but her father forgot to mention it.

They started at a steady pace through the elevated wooden boardwalk, but as they found themselves surrounded by tall trees, chirping birds and all sorts of ferns and other bushes, her panic from the earlier train ride subdued - his pleasure remained etched on his face - but both slowed down to a lazy pace, leaning over the grid railing to gaze the fallen trunks lying criss-cross next and underneath their timber path.

The fresh smell of Eucalyptus trees floated in the air; close to a tall tree trunk, the sign informed them that those trees sprouted shortly after the miners left in 1885 and are at least one-hundred-and-eight years old. "They are younger than Dumbledore," chuckled Draco, a drop of morning dew falling on his nose the next second.

Grinning, Hermione dried it with a brush of her finger, "And they smell much better." A bird flew close-by, and she yelped.

"Even in Australia, the owls can look judgemental." Draco pointed out to a light brown barn-owl that stared curiously at the pair.

"He probably never saw someone so blond like you." She leaned into him, pushing him to the side.

In the distance, the sign for the cable-car was visible.

"This one goes up, nothing to be afraid of." He rubbed her arm, joining the queue and recognising a couple of cruise passengers ahead.

"It can still dangle with the wind." She pulled her nose up, "Next time, you go on one of these tours, I'll choose something less frightening."

"You would have missed the Aboriginal legend." He led her to a window, standing right behind her, hands over hers on the rail. This was a cabin without seats. "You love ancient gossip."

"I hate rollercoasters and plummeting trains." Leaning her back closer to his front, she took a deep breath. She whined a little extra for the drama but had to admit that the scenery and the beauty of the rainforest were more than worth the little scare she went through.

"I can't believe how you rode a dragon in the open air but nearly wet your pants from an inclined ride." He held tighter to the rail when it started to move with a jerk, though it rode at a slow pace.

From the speakers, a woman's voice described the ride, "Our cable-car, which is the steepest aerial cable car in the world, will cross a distance of five-hundred and forty-five meters over the Jamison Valley. I suggest you move gently around the cabin so you can enjoy the full view of our iconic rock formations, and sandstone cliffs. Enjoy the unique vantage point to admire our Three Sisters, Mount Solitary and Orphan Rock."

Draco grabbed Hermione's hand, "Come with me, we need to document this for later."

He shot the pictures, she held onto his back in the meantime or a nearby rail, but no angle was forgotten. In the end, Hermione gathered enough courage to approach him and perch her chin on his shoulders, snaking her hands around his waist, both looking into the breathtaking scenery.

They were the second to the last couple to arrive at the bus and minutes later it drove away, heading to their lunch venue.

-oOo-

Draco whispered a last-minute _confundo_ and snatched the last table with the panoramic mountain view from a couple.

Hermione confessed, "That's not nice, but I was about to do the same," shoulders trembling in a silent smirk.

They ate at the Hotel Mountain Heritage as part of their excursion, the red brick property breathing out its majestic charm from the era its construction the early 1900s - its date etched on the leather menu cover. It was classically decorated in warm colours, with velvet sofas, colour-faded carpets and golden ornate framed mirrors.

Their two-course menu offered an entree and a main dish or the main and a dessert. "We'll share the entree and the dessert." Hermione thought ahead because she couldn't decide between the mini pavlova and the soup.

"I choose the first, you the latter, love." He perused the list but settled quickly for the soup. The windy rainforest left a certain cold feeling behind, and the warmth of a good broth would reheat his heart. "What do you think of sharing the bowl of soup?"

"Don't forget the crusty bread roll!"

Draco deadpanned, "No, not the bread, it's my soup." He handed her the bowl as soon as the waiter turned his back on them, cutting the roll neatly in two and spreading butter richly over a quarter, which melted upon contact.

Her facial expression softened after taking a spoonful of the creamy pumpkin soup with a sniff of cinnamon and curry powder. The warmth and the delicious merging of tastes on her tongue went straight to her heart, holding a close look at Draco's bread buttering. By now, he had covered all four sides thickly and bit into one very visibly.

In return, she pulled the bowl closer, "Are you going be _that_ mean to me?"

"Speaking of mean, you're commanding the entire portion." Another bite of the warm roll followed, noticing a blush on her face. The cold air got to her as well, he thought.

"I promise to leave you half of it."

"Then I'll share exactly one-half of my bread roll with you." He stretched out a quarter, "You can't say that your Slytherin is of bad faith."

"You told me weeks ago your name meant bad faith in French?"

"Well, well, well, are we going to play that game?" If she continued to stall, he was going to steal the bowl out from under her nose. The smells of the soup were making his stomach growl.

Hermione ate a few more spoonfuls before passing the soup to him, "No, just mentioning. I pay attention, you see?"

He stared down at the bowl, shaking his head. Better start eating his soup before she reclaimed it. As expected, his insides warmed up instantly. But Hermione was probably also to blame, she always knew how to rebut him.

-oOo-

They honoured their tradition of tasting each others choice, she offered a taste of her Tasmanian salmon dipped in the citrus and dill sauce, while his fork held a chunk of his slow-roasted pork with sautéed apple and spinach. The tastes were divine, but none of them felt tempted to propose a trade.

"You can eat your dessert, too much red fruit on the top." He stole the little chocolate flower on the top, sliding it over the whipped cream before eating it in one bite. The mix of berries in the middle wasn't his favourite.

"Oh, okay. If that's what you want." Yet, each time she offered a spoonful of crust and whipped cream only, she always found a volunteer to consume the contents. His sweet tooth didn't extend to berries, she learned.

-oOo-

The ride back to Sydney was foremostly silent. The majority slumbered against a shoulder or a window - the mountain's air was exhausting, it seemed - the few awake passengers let the scenery go by.

Draco stretched as soon as they exited the bus, "We still have two hours left, Hermione. We can visit the wizarding part of Sydney, what do you think?" He bought a bottle of water from a stall, letting her sip first.

"Let me check where it is." The wizarding guide book pointed out the entrance close-by, "I can use a refill on our pepper-up potion, in case you and the grandpas have a beer evening again."

Soon enough, they stood before the modern facade of the apothecary, Hermione buying also a sun cream refill, which was close to the end; after all, she never expected the double use.

"Draco, look! A bookstore!" The visit to the apothecary barely took ten minutes, so she still had enough time left.

"You go, I'll have a look at the Quidditch shop." Draco dawdled before the window shop until the coast was clear, returning quickly to the apothecary the second it was possible, "My wife forgot to buy an anti-contraception potion."

"Ah, which type, sir? We have a fast-working potion or the normal." The old lady from the counter grabbed two purple vials. "This fast-working will reset her cycle within two days, our potioneer has added a few extra ingredients to help your wife be extra fertile; the other is less invasive and will nullify the effects of your wife's birth-control by the time she should have her monthly."

"Give me the fast one." He took his wallet, "Do you accept Brittish wizarding currency?"

"Of course, sir." The witch didn't hide her surprise very well, it was usually the woman who was eager to start a family, not the soon-to-be father. "She must consume it after a meal to protect the stomach."

"I'll tell her." The vial was quickly hidden in his pocket, using his wand to conceal the shape from inquiring eyes. He left the shop in a hurry, hoping for some spare time to peruse the jewellery store next to the Quidditch shoppe.

He entered.

The store was one and all gold and shiny baubles, trying to catch the most attention. Two goblins stood behind the counter, one busy with bribing an old couple into buying a sturdy diamond necklace. The other eyed Draco as the next victim.

"Can I help you, sir?"

"Just looking." All the baubles at the display were the perfect examples of what his witch disliked: conspicuous and impractical. The rings would be Astoria's first choice and even his mother's, prominent gemstones fighting to be the brightest and most massive, to show off how expensive they were. Completely contrary to what he knew Hermione would want.

Nothing on display was of his liking. Draco spun around to the exit when a tray of golden rings grabbed his eye. The goblin was fast to approach and set the plate on the counter. "These are real 24k gold, perfect for the witch who doesn't like to stand out. I can add any protective charms you desire, sir."

One, in particular, caught Draco's interest, raising the ring closer to his face to admire the incorporated gems. He turned the piece of jewellery over and over before he handed it to the goblin, "Include protection against dark magic."

"Very well, sir. Lovely choice, sir." The goblin loved this type of customer, not even bothering to ask for the price. Shortly after, he returned with the ring lying on a bed of fluffy white velvet, "Sir, do you desire a bow around the gift box?"

"No." He offered his black credit card, signed on the dotted line with his wand and left the jewellery store at the same time as his witch exited the book shoppe, carrying a heavy-looking bag.

"I see you found some literature." He swirled around in a panic, renewing the disillusionment spell in a clumsy wandless way. Thank Salazar he put the box away before opening the door.

She pulled a book from her bag, "Yes I have, a book about the Aboriginal legends, they sound fascinating. Why did you come from a jewellery store?"

"Oh, that… huh, it was connected to the Quidditch store, and I entered it absent-mindedly, Me and Quidditch supplies... they are my drug." It was the quickest excuse he could come up with, though it sounded as weird to him as to Hermione who looked incredulous.

"A Quidditch store owned by Goblins?" One of her eyebrows hid under the fringe.

"Well, yes. It's a money-making business too, love." _What a lame excuse._ "Care for a drink on the pier before we have to board the Arcadia? A white wine, I've read the Australian wines taste quite sweet." The faster they got out of this alley, the better.

Hermione let it slide for the moment, hoping that whatever he bought for her didn't scream ' _Look at me'_ from afar. She liked the idea, to be honest, not even Ron bothered to spoil her with a piece of jewellery. Draco would be the first.

* * *

 **A.N.: Brisbane's next, curious? So am I haha!**


	40. Day Forty-Eight

***Thanks her beta Magzillasaurus for her work and sneaks away.***

* * *

 **Day Forty-Eight**

 **Day Forty-Seven**

It wasn't the first time that Hermione wished her wand could magick away a day in the future.

Thereby turning tomorrow into Monday, February the twenty-fourth instead of Sunday, the twenty-third.

Any means were acceptable to avoid docking at Brisbane and evade the mandatory visit to her parents. Draco's silence on the subject didn't signify that he forgot about it. Each time she suggested they peruse the book and decide what to do in Brisbane, he dodged the case with ease.

At home, she decided to focus on excursions and ignore the fact that she was visiting her parents' new hometown. Her last visit had left scars behind, her mother's unwillingness to understand that their lives had been at stake and the outburst that followed cut like a knife. Her father tried to placate them both, but her mother continued to accuse her daughter of denying them a choice. Her mother's last words ' _I don't trust you anymore'_ left a deeper scar than the carved word on her arm.

Yesterday, they left Sydney in the late afternoon, under a lazy rising sunset and the vast crowd of couples staring at the Harbour Bridge as it disappeared in the distance. Today, they forwent any activity on board and chose to stay on their balcony, a colourful cocktail within reach.

"Draco, we can discover Brisbane by bike," she sought out the longest possible excursions, "and then we can visit the Koala Sanctuary and enjoy sightseeing by bus." The first tour took four hours, the last almost six, enough to keep them occupied and far from her parent's place.

"Like in San Francisco but with bicycles?" He wasn't born yesterday, calculating the estimated time and realising she was filling their day, leaving no free time open. "The bikes sound cool, but I don't want to take another picture with a koala again, we can't hold them anyway."

Her face lit up, "At Lone Pine, you can! Plus feed the wallabies and the kangaroos. There are Tasmanian Devils, Emus, snakes to admire and all other sorts of native wildlife; they'll take us to Mt Coot-tha Lookout to admire the panoramic views..." She read aloud the entire description of the book, hoping to trigger his attention.

"Hermione, we'll do the bike tour in the morning, in the afternoon you'll take me to your parents. Don't try to convince me you love to see snakes voluntarily." He stretched out on his lounger, crossing his ankles. The Australian sun burning hot on his skin; the sunscreen shined greasy on his slightly tanned legs.

"Why are you so interested in meeting a couple of Muggles? They are two average British citizens, nobody popular or special." Instead of lying down relaxed like him, she sat tensely upright, the book perched on her thighs. She stared at the ground, defeated, "Draco, my… mother made it very clear that she doesn't want to see me again."

"What you've just said is the exact reason why I want to meet them." Instantly, he swung his legs over the edge and sat upright, sighing, "you wiped your existence from their minds; your noble, protective act saved their lives, despite the hurt it caused you. How can you not understand that I want to-" He faced her, looking her straight in the eye, insistently, "I have to try at least."

"Last time she told me she didn't trust me anymore, Draco." She wiped the escaping tears with a finger, "I don't want to hear her repeat it."

Suddenly, she was perched on his lap, her legs on either side of his waist. "Trust me, Hermione. She will not repeat her words." He planned to keep his wooden friend close if only to mute her mum if he heard any similar words, as a last resort if everything else failed.

He reclined until his back touched the backrest, pulling her knee over one of his legs while his arm curled around her back; his hand rubbed comforting lines over her spine. "Don't worry, I will not abandon you."

 **Day Forty-Eight**

Brisbane exuded, at first sight, a mixture of a cosmopolitan city with skyscrapers overlooking the riverbank on one side, while residential buildings on the other side peeked between the trees and radiated peace, far enough from the madness.

The small young group from the Arcadia was jovially welcomed by Ross, a fair skinned young man with dark eyes and beard and spiky dark hair hidden under his helmet, dressed in a bright orange shirt. He handed out water bottles and helmets, offering sunscreen to those who thought not to need it, "If you haven't seen Brissy by bicycle, you haven't seen Brissy at all. Though, lads, don't underestimate the sun here down-under, do apply sunscreen on your arms and legs."

Hermione flashed Draco a much-telling side-eye ' _Told you so'_ , the corners of her mouth quirking up. In return, he rolled his eyes, knowing he belonged to the small group of men already covered in lotion from head to toe, courtesy of their female counterparts.

Ross spoke with an authentic Aussie accent, "We'll ride for three hours at an easy pace with enough breaks along the way so you can take all the memories home and show your friends and family how beautiful my Brissy is." He moved from bike to bike to ensure all of them were correctly adjusted to its rider. Among the group was also the two brothers from the helicopter ride in Honolulu.

Shortly after, Ross gave the start sign, and the group winded at a relaxed pace, along the Clem Jones Promenade. He drew the attention to a frigate on the dry dock, "this is the HMAS Diamantina, she served during WWII and is now part of our maritime museum."

As the young owner of the tour company, Ross made them stop at several spots at Kangaroo Point View: the rock climbing wall where a brave woman ventured her way up; the four red sculptures symbolising man and technology, "in celebration of our World Expo '88, take pictures folks, you must show this at home!"

The group crossed the river over the Story Bridge through the floating walkway and across New Farm all the way to the furthest point of their trip, the Brisbane Powerhouse - a long red brick construction consisting out of three adjacent sections. Ross explained, "You're looking at a former power station which provided the entire Brisbane's tram network of electricity. Nowadays it's an icon for the city, the venue for all sorts of concerts and other artistic events."

Hermione picked up on Draco's curious look and asked Ross, "Which type of power station was it, Ross?"

"They used coal and river water."

Satisfied with the answer, Hermione mouthed later.

Several pictures followed, from the Powerhouse, the floating walkway over the river, the botanical gardens on the way back. They crossed the riverbank over the Victoria Bridge because a 'visit to Brissy is incomplete if you don't have a picture from our Brisbane sign.'

In the end, Draco wondered how he would describe this remarkable picture to his mother, already seeking a reasonable explanation to why he stood before the eight coloured letters with spread arms, in the most unworthy Malfoy pose. He simply copied the stance of his few male companions, smirking at the first bloke who dared to stand almost spread eagle; it had something hilarious about it in his opinion. Hermione chose to sit down in the middle, between the S and B, knees pulled up and giving her best duck-face with hands under her chin.

Without notice, three hours had flown by. They were back at the starting point, the Wheel, and the group spread out to use the remaining free time.

"Hermione, where do your parents live?" He turned her around to face him.

"I'm hungry, aren't you hungry?" She looked around, centring herself. The guide mentioned an excellent place to lunch with a view of the river, and maybe she could convince him to visit the inside of the frigate, close by. "Ross suggested the River Quay Fish and their seafood platter."

"Alright, we go for lunch and then you'll take me to your parents, Hermione. No more distractions." He laced their fingers and headed back towards the suggested restaurant. On their way, they passed the entrance of the Epicurious Garden; Draco stopped, "If we have time left, I want to visit this place."

"We can go now, Draco. You love to know all about herbs and plants." She pulled him towards the stairs, but he set his foot down. "This garden is foremostly about edible plants."

"No, Hermione. _If_ we have time left, you're not diverting me with surprise visits. And forget about the war boat on its dry dock, over there. We're not doing that one either."

Halfway through their meal, Draco inched closer and warned her, "If you keep stalling with your lunch, I'm going to hex your pretty behind with a nasty Malfoy sting."

She reacted outraged, toning it down just in time, "You wouldn't!"

"Try me. You never eat so slowly, Miss Granger. You don't even mind that I took more than half of the calamari." He picked up a crumbed prawn and dipped it in the sweet chilli sauce. "Now, I ate my fair share of these oysters, if I eat the rest, my libido tonight will be off the charts."

She flashed him a lost look.

He gritted through his teeth, "Eat, Hermione Granger!" She let an indignant sigh but ate nonetheless; in the end, he was the one who ate the remaining three oysters.

-oOo-

Hermione _Apparated_ them into a residential borough, between the line of trees next to a golf course, at a short walking distance from her parents' house.

He murmured, "You cut close with those trees, we could have been splintered."

She rolled her eyes, "I know what I'm doing, stop complaining." The closer they got, the slower she walked, coming to a complete stop suddenly. Before them, an older man pushed his lawnmower over a small patch of grass outside his fence. The light brown hair paler than she remembered, the white strands more visible now peeking underneath a cap; tanned legs underneath khaki cargo shorts, the arms covered by a beige short sleeve shirt.

A soft smile appeared on Hermione's face when she noticed her father wearing crocs, dark green ones of all choices. Obviously, her father wore the shoes for all the gardening work explaining the choice of colour.

"Is that your father?" Draco stood behind her, arm around her waist.

He barely heard her answer. "Yes."

"What's his name?"

"Albert, my mother's Agatha."

"What's he doing?" He saw the man push the growling machine forward in neat lines.

"Mowing the lawn. Underneath the hood is a blade that spins very fast; my father's model must be powered by gas because I see no cable."

The engine sound died, and her father was looking straight at her. He frowned first, as if he didn't trust his sight, then a huge smile rose and he waved widely at her, "Hermione!"

She crossed the street slowly, grasping Draco's hand tightly, "Hello, dad."

Draco barely had the time to step aside before the older man enveloped his daughter in a tight embrace. "Oh, Hermione. I'm so happy to see you! It's been such a long time!" His hand caressed his daughters' curls, "Why don't you visit more often, dear?"

"Mother said-"

"Your mother was angry, I know but-"

The wooden front door opened with a creak, "With whom are you talking to, Albert? Oh, it's you, Hermione." Agatha dried her hands on the apron, her features darkening.

"Yes, darling. Our daughter is visiting us, after so long, and she brought a friend. I didn't catch your name, boy…"

"Draco Malfoy, sir." Draco held out a hand. The few exchanges between father and daughter were enough for the wizard to assess the situation.

"Draco, you say? Your name sounds familiar. Come in, sweetie, you too Draco. Just let me put the mower behind the fence before it grows legs and runs off…" Albert motioned to enter through the driveway, the iron curled gate open on one side. The house was a modest red-brick bungalow, with matching brick and steel fence, and perfectly trimmed grass fields surrounded by a sea of flowers.

On the driveway, a grey Jaguar shined brightly. The pavement around the car was still wet as if the car just received a nice cleaning before the grass got the attention.

Hermione entered the living room and sat down on the flowered fabric sofa, scooting away for Draco to sit next to her. She folded her hands on her knees, glancing up to her mother, who sat stiffly on the one-seater right in front.

"Agatha, can you bring us some tea, dear? Unless you prefer some lemonade or I have an Australian beer in the fridge, for you son?" Albert tried to diffuse the tension in the room.

Her mother waited for the answer, mouth pressed into a thin line.

"I'm fine, dad."

"Mr. Granger, I'll take the lemonade if it's not too much of a bother." If he had the opportunity, Draco would go for a tumbler of firewhiskey. By the look on her mother's face, this wasn't going to be easy, and he could use something stronger. But he had a job to do.

"No Mr. Granger in this house, call me Albert. Hermione, your mother has a delicious blend of herbal tea, it is no burden, the water is already hot." The older man looked hopeful and pleading at the same time, "Agatha, dear can you fix us a teapot?"

The woman stood up with a loud sigh, clapping on her knees before rising. The open kitchen stood right from the dining room that looked out to a small pool and a few rattan loungers. The house breathed a homey feeling aside from the lack of family pictures.

"So… Hermione, are you staying long in Brisbane? Do you need a place to sleep, love? We have a spare room, as you know." A loud clanging of teacups on saucers sounded from the kitchen. Too loud to be by accident. Albert shot a pleading look behind him, something Draco caught up in a flash.

"No, dad. We're leaving around five o'clock, we're doing this cruise around the world, Draco and I." Hermione stopped staring at the shadows behind her father, to address him with a soft smile.

"Draco… Draco… where do I know your name from?" Albert tapped a finger against his lips.

"I must have spoken about him during my visits from Hogwarts." She startled when her mother loudly set down her tray with a teapot, teacups and a big glass with lemonade and ice cubes on the coffee table. Even the lemonade spilled over the edges from the shock.

Her father poured the hot drink into three cups, "Still a dash of milk and one sugar, Hermione?" His wife returned to her seat still in the same broody mood, much to his disappointment. He gave his daughter a sad smile, handing over the tea and Draco's lemonade next. "Yes, I remember now. Wasn't he one of those boys that bullied you about your origin?"

Draco lowered his gaze for a fraction of a second, "Yes, I was. I was a foolish spoiled brat blind to how amazing your daughter was within a world she didn't know. I'll spend the rest of my days making up for my lack of judgement."

"Be careful, boy. She might obscurate you behind your back."

"Agatha!"

"Mother, I-"

"Have you obscurated anyone lately? I should warn you, boy. She's not to be trusted." Agatha lashed out in a poisonous tone.

All three started to speak at the same time, but Draco raised his voice the loudest, "Mrs Granger, I implicitly trust Hermione with my life. I understand that you have no idea of the sacrifice Hermione made, to keep you both alive."

"She did it without asking for consent. She erased my life without my approval, using her dangerous powers to such an extent." Agatha's face reddened in anger. "It's luck that our memories have been restored, thanks to some witchcraft one of your people performed. But our lives, our friends, our everything was erased with the swipe of a finger. She dumped us into a completely new foreign life."

"If not for that swipe of her finger, you would be buried six feet under the ground if she was lucky enough to find a body at all." The complexion of Draco's face matched her mother's. In another situation, he would have already drawn his wand to send the most painful hex he knew, "I wasn't only the bully, Mrs. Granger. I also played on the side of the war who wanted to kill every muggleborn. Your daughter's origin was considered unworthy of using magic." In a rash move, he showed her his death eater mark. He took a few much-needed intakes of breath to keep his nerves at bay.

"She's dangerous!" Agatha seethed, "What will she do next?"

"Draco, don't-" Hermione's chin trembled, a trail of silent tears wetted her cheek. Clearly, after all this time, her mother still kept the grudges alive.

"No, Hermione. I can't allow this to continue. Our side sought out your parents to teach you a lesson, under the Dark Lord's command; they forced me to join along and have a demonstration of how you liquidate a couple of Muggles most efficiently. We found your house, left destruction behind. If you hadn't…" He faced her mother, gaze fixed on the perfect copy of Hermione's eyes, "If she hadn't obliviated you, given you a new identity and a new home, you wouldn't be alive."

"Agatha, it's time to let it go, darling…" Albert's eyes were red, his hand seeking his wife's to force her to understand. "If what Draco says is true, then we owe our lives to our beautiful daughter."

"I can't trust her."

"Then I think you never loved your mother the way Hermione loves you." Draco was ruthless.

"How dare you, you...you…" Agatha's face was about to explode.

"You have no idea how much courage it takes to erase your existence from your parents' memory, so they can survive. I honestly don't know if I have the bravery inside me, probably not as I meekly followed a bastard who threatened to murder my mother and I stood by futilely."

He grabbed Hermione's chin to make her face him, "I stood by and watched how my aunt tortured you, and I did nothing to save you. I'll never forgive myself for it, no matter how many times you say it's not my fault."

"Torture?" Agatha's voice broke, Albert stared in despair.

"Yes. Hermione, lift the disillusionment charm."

She did as he asked.

Her parents gasped in horror, Albert rasped, "What does that word mean?"

"Mudblood, dirty blood. Unworthy of performing magic. My faction used to accuse Muggleborns of stealing magic from wizards, turning them into squibs, people without wizarding powers." He thumbed the wound, letter by letter, wishing his finger could erase the scars. He spoke further without shifting his gaze away from his beloved, "Hermione is the most brilliant, intelligent witch I know. She has every right to be a witch, much as I have as a wizard."

It was silent for a while.

"If you continue to accuse Hermione of treachery, you're no better a person than my deranged aunt."

"Your aunt… is she still alive?" Albert's voice carried a trace of hunger for revenge.

"No, she died at the hands of a woman who loves your daughter as if she's one of her own." He rose Hermione's arm to his lips, kissing the scar gently. One day, he would thank Molly Weasley for her brave act.

"Good." The man took out a handkerchief and blew his nose, wiping away the remaining tears on a clean corner. "Justice has been done."

"Hermione…" Agatha rose from her seat, sat between the pair and closed her arms around her daughter. "Oh, Hermione..." Albert joined both women, encircling them in his arms.

All of a sudden, Draco felt like an intruder and decided to give the three a moment of privacy. He exited through the back door, strolling around the garden. A few times he stopped to look at a flower pot, squatting to take a sniff; some looked familiar, others didn't, not that his mind was much into it.

He replayed the entire episode in his mind. He said hurtful words, but Agatha's accusations cut through his heart like a sharp knife. The woman clearly had no fucking clue of how big Hermione's sacrifice had been. He blurted out the rough truth, yet he didn't regret a word. If the woman refused to change, then he might resort to other means; although something told him, she finally saw the reason.

He was so deep in his thoughts that he never heard Albert approach. "Has my daughter suffered that much?"

"She's a great fighter, has more bravery in her little toe that many a wizard in their entire bodies, including me. She fought courageously, and yes she suffered, but I'll spend the rest of my life making sure it never happens again. I'll protect her with my life."

The older man stared intently into the grey gaze but said no word.

"I know this isn't the right moment, but I have been raised by the old fashioned ways, and I want to use the moment to ask your permission to marry your daughter, sir. I love her as deeply as I've never loved someone before, I want to be part of her life and give her everything she deserves. She'll want for nothing, sir. But above all, I want her to be happy."

"How does a boy like you go from bullying a young girl into loving a young woman like my daughter?"

"The boy had been fed lies, believed his views to be the right ones and was blind to see the truth right under his nose. Once the blindfold fell and I finally grew a pair, I saw what an amazing woman your daughter is. I can't change the past, no matter how much I regret my actions. But the future? I can mould it into something good. She's what I need in my life, she gives my existence meaning."

"You have my blessing, son. I only have one request, come and visit us more often. I like it here. We've built a life anew, one I don't want to stop living to return to the greyish British weather. But I miss my daughter dearly, and I think after today, that my wife will think likewise." He patted Draco firmly on his shoulder, "You've given me back my family, I can't thank you enough. Welcome to the Granger family, son."

"Thank you, sir. But can you keep it quiet? I'm looking for the perfect moment to propose." He saw Hermione approach, face still blotchy.

"Of course." A new tap on the blond's shoulder. "Of course."

"Of course, what, dad?"

"Of course your boy and I will here share a beer next time you visit. You will visit us soon, won't you?" He nodded with a ray of hope. "You can't be a stranger again."

"We will, dad. I promise. Now we should be going, I don't want the Arcadia to leave without us." She hugged her father tightly, biting off a new wave of tears.

Draco smiled softly, relieved. He liked Australia well enough, planning a visit to that Lone Pine park and finally holding one of those koalas in his arms next time, those fluffy beasts. Drinking a beer with your father-in-law didn't sound terrible either. Just keep it to one beer though, _the last thing you need is for your father-in-law to see you wasted_.

* * *

 **A/N.:**

 **I'm offering you an early update because I made you wait long enough for them. Next chapter is already in the works... Take care and Happy Birthday Tom Felton!**


	41. Day Forty-Nine

**As always happy to have Magzillasaurus at my side to clean up my writing.**

* * *

 **Day Forty-Nine**

 **Still Forty-Eight**

The goodbyes were said along with multiple promises of returning to Australia on short notice. Heartfelt embraces followed between father, mother, daughter and blond wizard, who was most uncomfortable with the open physical display of emotions.

Draco couldn't remember the last time his father had hugged him. Any physical contact he could recall could be narrowed down to a hand on the shoulder, earlier out of pride; during the war in false encouragement. Even a cuddle from his mother was a rarety, once he was no longer a toddler.

Honestly, Draco couldn't determine which was worse. The excessive muggle cuddling or the lack of such displays of affection between Purebloods.

Hermione took him by the hand and Apparated them calmly inside their Rio de Janeiro-suite. But once the dizziness of the movement dissipated, Hermione threw herself at him; hands cradling his cheeks and her lips capturing his mouth greedily, forcing the wizard to take a few steps back seeking balance.

Surprise crossed his face, his grey eyes widened first but closed next, overcome by arousal. She felt the vibration of his groan through her chest. He had finally solved the mystery around her silence. It was no anxiety; it was a passionate yearning for touch.

Her hands flew onto his polo, pulling the hem loose and ripping the shirt over his head; immediately after, she commanded his mouth, her tongue curling around his, luring. The button of his shorts was nearly ripped off, the clasp of his zipper pushed down most impatiently.

"Love, we have all the time in the wor-" He wanted a moment of breath to slow down her enthusiasm, alas she shut him up very efficiently. But something didn't feel right. Her hands trembled, grabbing his next garment; when her cheek touched his skin on her way to his earlobe, he felt a wet trail against his skin.

Her passion darkened into frenzied desperation, her moan morphing into a sob halfway.

"Hermione, why the hurry lov-." His hands gripped in the air instead of the targeted shoulders. Alternately, he found her on her knees, freeing his half-erect member from its confinement and closing her lips around his girth. "Hermione… oh in Salazar's name... ugh…"

While one hand worked in tandem with her mouth, her other pushed his shorts and underwear down to his ankles, stroking his thighs and squeezing a globe on its way backwards. Draco swaggered on his feet, feeling nowhere for support.

She stopped her assault to lift a hairy leg at the time, getting rid of his shoes and garments. Then she rose to her feet, pushed him onto the bed, settling between his legs before he could grab his wits.

Despite his weak protests to slow down, his cock bounced proudly against his stomach, "Whoa, love... ugh, fuck... do that again with your tong- ngh... oh Salazar's left sagg-..."

Hermione opened her mouth wide and sank down, breathing through her nose with large intakes to contain the urge to gag. She swallowed and took the tip of him into her throat. "I'm not going to last, Hermione. Please, ah fu..." He looked heavenward, fists clenching the sheets. Her hot mouth, sucking the tip, tongue circling just below the engorged head robbed him of his senses, and he felt his cock become even harder.

She released him with a pop, climbing over him until her face stood above his, "I love you, Draco." Her hand gripped his base using the wetness around the girth to glide up and down his velvety skin. "I love you so much."

Suddenly, he shifted their positions, kneeling between her legs to undress her swiftly, "I love you even more, witch." But he was beyond his restraint, seeking relief for the burning arousal. Draco positioned his cock at her entrance and glided into her searing core, biting his bottom lip hard to subdue the urge to explode on the spot until she was ready to shatter with him.

He seized her wrists and held them above her head with one hand, using his right to rub frenzied eights around her clit. Alas, no matter how eager he was to make them orgasm together, he wasn't strong enough to hold off his own completion. Grunting from deep within, he leaned his sweaty forehead against her shoulder, his hips jerking erratically against her pelvis. For a moment, his vision faded to black.

Her mouth curved into a dreamy smile.

He cleared his throat, once, twice, until he could speak between the panting, "You didn't finish."

"This wasn't for me." Her hand rubbed his perspiring spine.

"Hell, it wasn't." Draco huffed and glided down, spread her legs wide and licked a broad stripe from bottom to the top, tasting on his tongue their fluids combined. He hollowed his cheeks and sucked her swollen clit, as two fingers speared inside her, rubbing that special place which had Hermione seeing stars in no time.

When a gush of fluids soaked his hand, he hummed in pleasure against her clit, the vibrations sending sparks of lightning through her entire body. Draco's chest puffed in pride, and he doubled his efforts until she arched from the bed with a cry, her walls pulsing around his fingers in waves.

He drank in the sight of her blissed out state, "Now, I'm satisfied, witch." She simply nodded in agreement. Until her lip started to tremble and her tears drew wet traces on her flushed cheeks. "No...No...No... these aren't tears of joy, Hermione, love, why are you crying? Did I hurt you somehow? Have I been too rough?"

Hermione whimpered, shaking her head from left to right.

His hand caressed her hair, incessantly, "You can tell me everything. Why are you crying again? I felt your tears before when your lips closed around my earlobe." He shifted onto his back, snaking his arm around her shoulder to pull her tight against his frame. "Is it because of your parents?"

"You gave me my mother back." She cried into his chest, her voice breaking, "I thought I lost them forever. She was so angry, Draco. So angry..." Hermione inched up enough until she could hide her face in the curve of his neck, muffling her sobs against his skin.

His embrace grew tighter; he rolled them until they faced one another, his fingers raking through her curls, "Not anymore, love. Your father loves you, and your mother came through in the end." He let her cry so long as there were tears left, brushing her hair, back and upper arm in comforting caresses until her breathing evened out and she fell asleep in his arms.

At one point Draco summoned his wand, closed the shades and surrendered himself to his exhaustion.

 **Day Forty-Nine**

"Let's do something fun." Draco wheeled the room service cart containing the rest of their breakfast outside the room, closing the door with a soft bang. Her genuine smile he loved to see was far from present, and if attending one of those idiotic bingo sessions brought it back, than he would endure it for her sake.

Alas, Hermione declined, "I prefer to stay inside, lie down on our loungers away from the masses and the madness."

"None of that. Let me see, we have a hip hop class whatever that is, another Spanish lesson, a painting lesson and a cooking class, aside from all the sports." He riposted swiftly. Staying indoors meant giving her mind the time to ruminate about her parents, pushing herself deeper into that self-dug hole she created. "No painting for you, no Spanish for me, hip hop is that hopping up and down with your hips? Can you even do that? Never mind, what's left? Ah, the cooking class."

He had never cooked in his life; if he ever entered the kitchen, it was to steal cookies or a freshly baked muffin. Getting his hands dirty to prepare food wasn't his thing, but he was good at potions, so it might be fun in the end.

"Have you ever cooked before?" She rose an eyebrow, suspiciously.

"I'll go down in history as the first Malfoy who baked like a house-elf." He grinned, snorting as his father's horrified face crossed his mind. The man would have a stroke on the spot.

She pleaded, "Draco, I'm not in the right mood..." Yesterday's confrontation left a heavy lump in her throat she couldn't swallow.

"You will be if you watch me be a Longbottom during this cooking lesson." _I'm probably not far from the truth..._

She rolled her eyes at the light stab, shrugged her shoulders and followed him later tamely towards the show-cooking room.

"DRACO! HERMIONE! There's a free station right next to mine." Margaret waved widely, pointing down from afar and turning to a grey-haired lady at said station, "Move over, hun, this one is taken."

The offended women walked away, complaining about _some passengers' rude manners_. Draco grinned at the display, thinking once again that Margaret fitted perfectly within Slytherin.

Hermione approached, hands spread wide, "Margaret, why did you shoo her? There are more stations available… Look, two rows behind you."

"Nonsense, dear. This is our Margarita gig all over again, minus the alcohol. Unfortunately." She planted two wet kisses on Draco's cheek, who dried the skin discreetly behind the old woman's back, shivering in disgust. "I want you two next to me, Helen is joining us in a moment." Hermione accepted the similar greeting with a fond smile, making Draco forgive the old bat on the spot for the extravagant welcome.

Helen was calmer in her approach, sticking to a rub on the shoulder and a hug for his witch. "Nice to have you here, we haven't seen you for days."

"We have been busy in Sydney and Brisbane," Draco washed his hands in preparation, copying the manners of two men in the front. Then, his curiosity won over his patience, and he whiffed and examined the various bowls of ingredients, the majority already measured for their convenience.

"What did you all visit after Featherdale? We simply strolled around and joined the excursion with the bus sightseeing the next day. We did the same in Brisbane." Helen dried her hands on the kitchen towel, pulling the apron over her head. Margaret was fixing her chef's hat which refused to stay still on her head, no matter how much she tried, in the end it flew to the back of the room. Draco didn't like her wet kisses, but he sure did enjoy her temper.

"Draco surprised me with dinner and the Opera, Helen. We watched Madame Butterfly, and I loved it so much." Hermione pressed a hand against her chest, then scrunched her face, "Though I hate Pinkerton with passion."

"Oh, Madame Butterfly! I saw that one in London, it is a wonderful play indeed, and yes, I hate Pinkerton too, haha," Helen added her two cents.

"I love the Opera." Margaret nodded, smiling in approval at Draco, "If you have the chance, you must go and see The Phantom of the Opera."

Hermione exchanged a telling look with her wizard, "I'll ask nicely." The wizard glanced with amusement but kept studying the contents of the bowls on the table. So far he discerned chocolate and munched on a nut recognising the flavour of hazelnuts in an instant.

"I guess we're lucky, Hermione, all these bowls are filled with all sorts of chocolate !" He stole another small chunk milk chocolate.

Margaret winked, "We're making brownies and truffles."

Today wasn't the day he minded getting his hands dirty. _For chocolate, he would make an exception!_ "Right down my alley, Marge."

A young lady chef appeared, and after the introductions, she set the group at work, starting with the chocolate base for the truffles so it could refrigerate while they made the brownies.

"Hermione, I'll chop the chocolate while you bring the cream to a simmer with the amaretto." Some of the chocolate chunks wouldn't land in its rightful place - or maybe definitely the rightful place: his mouth.

"As long as you don't eat more than you chop..." She measured the teaspoon from the small liquor flask and set the saucepan on the heat.

"I will do no such thing." He looked horrified, but closed his lips around a new morsel.

Even Margaret rolled her eyes, "Hear, hear. Men are all the same, such angels." Draco felt called out but refrained from further comment. It was far from a fair fight anyway, he was among a group foremostly consisting of women.

While Hermione poured the hot cream over the chocolate, Draco stirred the mix, and together they finished the base. "Draco!" She gritted through her teeth after a new finger dipping.

"What? What if it needs more sugar?" He fixed his gaze on her while dipping in the creamy base again, sucking on the finger with a pop, "We must know, you know?" The threatening glare didn't bother him in the least. He inched closer, "Are you forgetting that we can speed up the cooling phase? I brought my wand."

"We're not performing magic between all these people," Hermione whispered back, "We have to make the brownies anyway."

The group took a tea and cake break between the two recipes, to give the staff the time to clean up the stations and set up for the next dessert.

"Hermione, do we also have to wait for hours before I can eat one of those brownies?" Draco wondered, _What's the fun of making desserts if it takes ages until they're finished?_

"I suggest you do unless you want to burn your tongue on the freshly baked brownies. They'll be scorching hot, Draco." He released a long breath, unable to deny the logic.

When they returned, they both paid close attention to the lady chef, who elaborated the steps. Especially when the young woman emphasised about the secret of a deliciously fudgy brownie, which consisted in not overbeating the batter, plus to respect the exact baking timing to avoid dry brownies.

Hermione shared with the older woman, "Helen, Draco won't let me overbake them, he'll be timing precisely how long it will take to eat one."

Helen agreed, "He's no different than Donald. You should see my husband sniffing and checking out the timer every time I make his favourite lemon cake."

They were ready to start, "Do you want to grease the baking tin or start on the mixing?" Hermione tilted her head, though her hands reached after the spray already guessing his answer.

He flashed her his goofiest smile while reaching for the whisk himself, one of his favourite utensils in the kitchen from now on, "Do you mind doing the greasing thing?" He was curious after the taste of melted butter mixed with the sugar. _Not so tasty_ , he concluded, wiping his greasy finger on a towel.

As Hermione lined the baking pan, he grabbed the first of four eggs, ticked the edge against the bowl and scrunched his face while the gooey egg white dropped through his fingers, "Yuck."

She laughed, "One down, three more to go!" He smiled greenly in return but continued his task. Above all, he hated the feeling of his fingers glued to one another.

"Oh, Draco, you're just like my Henry. Wash those fingers when you're done, and move on with the recipe. Don't be a baby." Shaking the head, Margaret set her baking tin away. At the same time as Hermione, the older woman grabbed the sieve to sift the flour.

Unexpectedly, Draco waved a hand underneath the sieve and rubbed some of the flour onto the brown curls, "Now you look like a cook, love."

"DRACO!" She raked her fingers through her curls, and it was all a snowfall she saw, "This isn't funny!"

"It is to me, this is how you'll look like when you're an old bat like McGonagall in a few decades." He was succeeding in his goal, and that was what mattered. That glint in her eyes was sparking again, her cheeks flushed, and her face brightened up, though she meant to give him an exasperated look. On top of it, the prospect of eating the fudgiest brownie made his heart sing upfront.

"Sir, at this rate, there isn't much left to bake. You've been tasting every step of the recipe." The lady chef caught Draco once more with his finger in the dough.

He smirked blushing, "I'm testing the quality of the ingredients." Hermione waved her hands, guessing that not even nuns were immune to the Malfoy charm.

Before the batter was poured into the baking pan, the pale finger dipped countless times, stole more than one chunk of chocolate until a tired Hermione bat the wandering hand away, guessing his face probably ached from the non-stop grinning; the cheeks adorned with a trace or two of chocolate batter.

In the blink of an eye, Hermione saw the Draco who got away with his mischief, the laughter lines etched around his eyes, blushing cheeks and cheesy smile. _This will be our son, in a few years_ , she thought, also realising that saying no to both father and son would be quite a challenge.

To add a funnier touch to the class during the tedious rolling, the young chef played a funky song in the background. Instantly, all hips wiggled behind every station. Of course, Margaret couldn't resist to give quite a show while rolling her truffles, arms swinging from left to right as if she was playing the maracas. Ignoring in the meantime Helen's pleas to tone it down.

Draco's chest shook heavily while he supported his head on his wrist, elbow on the worktable and Hermione was forced to sprint toward the ladies room before an accident happened.

Margaret encouraged, "Draco, show the room how you can shape those hips, son. I've seen you dance, boy."

Hermione intervened just in time, "None of that, Margaret, he only shakes his hips for me. In private." For good measure, she patted his arse.

"Margaret, the older you become, the crazier you get," Helen snatched the bowl away to finish the rolling herself before her friend embarrassed her more than was already the case.

The aroma floating from the oven made Draco's stomach growl, "These smell good."

Hermione rolled a ball in the cocoa powder, "You can't eat the whole plate in one turn, your stomach will ache."

He countered, nose nearly glued to the small window of the oven, "We have a potion for that."

"The lady chef said they become fudgier the next day, and even more the day after..." Hermione spoke directly to the sweet tooth.

"Oh, in that case..." _The odds of them baking a new batch were slim on short notice, the chocolate class was only once a week… but what if he could confound someone..._

The hand towel ticked against his bum, "Plus half of that baking pan is mine, Draco. Are you going to devour mine as well?"

"You witches always complain about your weight. I'm doing you a favour." He shrugged and ate the last ganache ball he rolled.

Hermione was certain that a quarter of the truffles had been already consumed by her blond wizard, "Are you calling me fat?"

"Am I lying? How many times did I hear Pansy complain about how extra sherbet lemon would glue to her hip." He wiped his mouth on the back of his hand, "Do you know what else?" He snickered, "She even pointed at specific spots!"

"I'm not Parkinson, or haven't you noticed?" Hermione perched her hands on her waist.

"No, you're not her. You're much better, she can't even stand in your shadow." In the blink of an eye, he grew all serious. "Besides, you're not fat, you are perfect. My perfect little muggleborn, who I love and wouldn't trade for any golden vault in the world."

"Not even the super biggest one at Gringotts?" She tilted her head, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"The super biggest one? Lemme see..." His finger ticked against pursed lips, "That's a lot of money..." He turned his head from left to right, watching how her face changed from smug to disbelief. "I'm a Malfoy. That gigantic vault is probably mine already, witch." He smiled like a Cheshire cat for a few seconds, "But, as I was saying, you're one of a kind. No money in this world would make me abandon the most significant wealth I have in my possession. You."

They shared a soft kiss.

"You taste like chocolate."

"It makes me all the sweeter, love." He was a happy man, "Can I have some of your half, anyway?

* * *

 **A.N.:**

 **Next port: Great Barrier Reef**


	42. Day Fifty

**My Magzillasaurus cleaned this up for your reading comfort. What would I do without her? xxx**

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 **Day Fifty**

Out of the thirty truffles, only three stood on the tray protected by a stasis before the couple went to bed yesterday. Each time Draco passed it, he snatched one, as in just now on his way to the bathroom.

The brownies were eaten more slowly, Draco understood quickly that after two, his stomach reached its limits. Hermione always cut her square in two - for the same reason - however, her remaining half did disappear "miraculously" shortly after.

The good thing about the cooking lessons, beyond the tasting, was having the recipes on paper. Since it would be in their home or back at the manor, Draco knew already that more of these chocolate goodies would be baked, whether by his hands or a house-elf. Probably the house-elf, he and his Hermione had other things to focus on, like cuddling and shagging or, in her case, rant at one or another loser at the Ministry.

He liked that prospect plus becoming completely atypical from the traditional Malfoy set-up where the Malfoy male heir was the provider and head of the family, and his wife kept herself busy with organising tea parties and fundraisers for one good charity or another. No, within his Malfoy-Granger union - _would she hyphenate?_ \- his witch worked, climbed up the food chain within the Ministry and maybe grew to be the first female Minister of Magic. His ambition limited itself to becoming a name within the potioneer's world and use the many Malfoy tentacles to help his witch overcome any problematic goal. _Once a cunning mind, always..._

"Draco, have you seen the sunscreen?" Hermione turned their beach bag upside down, rummaging chaotically through the contents on the bed.

"Didn't you use it yesterday afternoon?" Draco slid the window open, spotting the bottle on the table between the loungers, "I found it."

"Thanks! Okay… I have the sunscreen, a towel for each and are you wearing your swim trunks?" He nodded, dropping the waistband of his shorts to show the one beneath. "Drop your shorts, Draco." She commanded.

"Love, this is not the moment, we're under a time constraint." _Was she in her horny period before the monthly appeared?_

"Get your mind out of the gutter, Draco, I need to adjust your swim trunks. We'll be wearing a wetsuit, and for your comfort, your trunks should be more tightly fitted, more adjusted to your legs." She rolled her eyes with a sigh, "Men really think about sex every seven seconds."

"Hermione, not every seven seconds…" He felt called out, it wasn't every seven...nah he was stronger than the average wizard/man, _right?_ "Love…" He watched his swimwear narrow around his legs, "be careful with the merchandise, please? I don't like slimly fitted garments around that sensitive area." For good measure, he gripped his wand for a possible counter-adjustment.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to harm one of my favourite Malfoy-body parts. It brings me much joy."

" _I'm the one_ who thinks about sex every seven seconds, eh?" Her mouth twitched, the bottom lip drew between her teeth.

Her brown eyes sparkled with glee as she looked over her shoulder, swinging her bag over her shoulders. He reminded her of teenage-Draco, whining about the unfairness towards Slytherin at Hogwarts. _Some things never change…_

-oOo-

The tender boat transported a big group to Airy Beach, some of them heading for a sightseeing excursion on the segways, but the majority walked towards the jetty.

Draco looked forward to today's activity: discover the Great Barrier Reef, described as the worlds' largest reef system. Instead of snorkelling, like at Port Vila, they enrolled in scuba diving, to discover this nature's wonder at a depth a snorkel couldn't offer - as the booklet explained. The company provided guidance for first-time and certified divers, and Hermione insisted on taking advantage of this massive opportunity.

"Take one of these, Draco. I read it can be rough sea and we should prevent seasickness." Hermione pressed a white tablet from a blister pack into his hand before taking one herself.

"I don't get sick on board a catamaran, remember the trimaran on Port Vila, love?" Nevertheless, he took over her water bottle and swallowed the tablet in one go, scrunching his nose at the bitter aftertaste. "Don't we have a potion for this?"

"I know, but if they recommend it, it's for a good reason. Or do you prefer to wait and puke your guts out the entire journey?" Alas, the tablet remained stuck halfway down her throat, and she drank the rest of her water to get rid of the lump. She took a big gulp of air before continuing, "Besides, potions only work when you already feel nauseous, instead of being preemptive."

As always, her logic was sound.

They boarded a massive catamaran that could easily transport over three hundred fifty passengers if he read the metal plate correctly. On the contrary of the trimaran that sailed in a majestic way, this one had no mast or sails; instead, its sturdy-looking two-story deck was supported on two hulls, a large open seating zone protected by a big canopy. Not elegant but functional and fast, cutting quickly through the water towards its destiny.

Halfway through the trip, Draco counted himself lucky for his foreseeing witch. Some of the passengers' stomachs weren't strong enough to withstand the rougher sea and he watched how one puked over the rail while another accepted a wet towel and some ice chips to ease the discomfort. He admired the staff's patience and how they remained calm and friendly between green looking people.

If he hadn't followed his witches advice, he guessed he would be on the same road as those poor passengers, because, despite the stability the craft offered, the rocking of the sea was felt more prominently than on board of the Arcadia. When the opportunity arose, he would show her his gratitude in a proper way, while avoiding her telling side-eye.

After an hour and a half, the catamaran aligned with a big floating platform before Whitsunday island at Hardy Reef. Aside from the scuba diving and the snorkelling, people could discover the reef on board of a glass-bottomed ship - similar to Port Vila's or enjoy some beach time.

At a separate pontoon, a helicopter waited for passengers.

"If you want, we can catch a flight instead of sailing back to the jetty." Hermione guessed his thoughts. "Should we book our seats?" He didn't need to be told twice, pulling her by the hand towards the proper staff member.

His enthusiasm died a little when he accepted his wetsuit. He wiggled himself inside, once more glad his witch thought upfront about adjusting his swimwear, not that it prevented the fabric from sticking to his skin. "I'm going to look like a lobster when you pull this off my body." It sat really weird around his frame.

"I like lobsters, especially the juicy meat." Wriggling her body inside a similar suit, she flashed him a lewd glance.

"Wait a minute, who's the Slytherin here?" He zipped her suit first, then rotated and bowed his head so she could return the favour easily.

"You, my favourite snake." She planted a kiss on his neck and walked away to collect fins and the rest of the gear.

He followed her barefoot, "Hermione, can't we cast a bubble-head charm instead of using one of those mouthpieces? Merlin knows in which mouth it has been."

"They disinfect every piece of gear after every use, Draco. Besides, can you imagine people seeing us with a sort of balloon attached to our face? We're among muggles. Plus with the oxygen tanks, we can dive for a longer period than the thirty minutes such a bubble can provide."

They followed a guide who took them to a platform and explained how to breathe underwater. Shortly after, they dove between the corals, holding hands with one of the two guides. Hermione held the woman's hand in a vice hold, feeling her other hand be squeezed like a lemon by Draco.

Soon enough, the anxiety made room for delight. A turtle swam close by, and so did a school of clownfish and other colourful species. They refrained from stroking them, as requested by the staff, but Draco touched one anyway as it bumped against his hand, bouncing on his shoulder before it swam away on whatever path the fish had in mind.

Snorkelling had been fantastic, but diving deeper in the open sea between all kinds of coral, the sea life became even more impressive, their eyes having trouble taking it all in. The vivid colours, the number of aquamarine life, you name it.

Yet, on the way back Hermione froze and forced Draco to stop also.

The way his witch and the rest of the group stood still, worked as a silent warning to keep his own movements to a bare minimum until the colossus swam away - though he noticed how the fish was in no hurry at all.

The only thing he comprehended was that this giant fish must be a predator of sorts to bring a look of fear to his girl's face. He foremostly admired the fish's head shaped like a hammer and decided it was safer to steer away from those sharp-looking teeth.

After the three longest minutes of his life, the group paddled away to the surface. As soon as they were above water, he asked the question burning on his lips, "What the hell was that thing?"

"A shark." She panted, clearly still impressed.

"What's so special about a shark?" He let her climb the stairs first, stepping close behind.

"They eat everything, including humans. They can smell blood miles away." She sighed relieved, once she was freed from her oxygen tank, with Draco's help. In return, she freed him from his burden.

"What? You mean that thing could have eaten us?" His eyes widened. His voice rose a tone, despite his effort to keep it down, "How did you remain so calm, knowing this? Now I know why it swam so slowly between us! It was figuring out who was the fattest!"

"I was far from calm, Draco. I saw a movie once where one shark ate a young woman, leaving only a half-eaten thigh behind." She shouldn't have mentioned her memories of Jaws, one from when she watched the movie sneaking behind the couch without her parent's knowledge.

Draco paled visibly, "You're kidding me, right? This is no reason to joke, I could have been eaten by a giant fish!" At least, dragons only set fire to people, they didn't eat wizards as far as he knew. His panic reached forbidden forest-levels pretty quickly.

Hermione tried to soothe him, "Our guide signed us to keep calm, while it swam close to us. In the end, it lost its interest."

"I'm never diving again! I'm not fish food!" He screeched and stomped his foot, "Hermione, stop laughing, I'm serious. Snorkelling is safer, at least the eels don't ogle me as their next meal!"

Hermione guwaffed, "You can be such a dork." She snaked her arm around his neck and pulled him down for a kiss, "It was curious about us; if he was looking for food, he would have been more aggressive. But I agree it was a scary moment, I held my breath also."

He whimpered and she laughed harder, holding him tight against her body.

-oOo-

Draco relaxed visibly after the offered tropical buffet lunch. Once he was back in his clothes, the panic evaded and made room for hunger. He filled his plate abnormally high, scooping at least one of each offering he recognised, like chicken drums and gambas. "I'm hungry, and I need to restore my emotional energy," he declared petulantly, much to her delight.

"Emotional energy, oh, dear." Hermione sat at a table, set down her own plate and reached inside the beach bag, shaking her head, "Do you want another tablet against seasickness? I think its effect has worn off by now."

He swallowed a chunk of chicken drum and licked his fingers audibly, "I'm actually happy you have those muggle tablets with you. Have you seen those other passengers?" He held up a hand. "I have to agree that you had a point."

"I read the warnings, Draco, while you were admiring the view from our balcony, especially the bikinis." She munched on a forkful of Cesar salad, wondering if he knew how muggle he was becoming. The Pureblood wizard from nearly noble roots ate with his fingers. _If his father saw him now..._

"Why would I ogle other women's bikinis when I get my fix by leering at yours which barely covers your bits?" Nevertheless, his skin flushed, "I was looking at the endless sea."

His declaration threw her into a coughing fit, "How poetic of you, Mr. Malfoy." It took a few pats against her chest to free her airway, "Do you want to visit the underwater observatory?"

"I have seen enough fish for one day." He shivered at the memory.

"Excuse me." A young female staff member approached them, "Our roving photographer caught a few photos of you underwater." She spread three pictures on the table, one caught at the moment when the small fish collided with Draco's shoulder. "They are 35 Australian Dollars each, if you take all three, I can offer them for a hundred dollars."

Another had them pretty close, with thumbs up towards their guide and the last showed how closely they admired a group of coral, oblivious to their surroundings.

Draco's only regret was that they weren't magical photos and no movement had been caught on camera, but he barely hesitated, "Hermione, use my credit card. You accept cards, right?"

Minutes later the young woman moved on to the other table.

Draco kept staring, "Unbelievable how muggles can photograph things underwater."

Hermione's mouth fell open in a fake-shocking expression, though she giggled seconds later, "No shit Sherlock. Muggles can do things better than Wizards!"

He silently answered her with a stoic face and a long sigh. Yet, the corner of his mouth curled anyway.

-oOo-

The helicopter lifted off a half-hour before the catamaran's departure, with Draco's nose nearly glued to the window and Hermione safely sitting between him and another passenger. As the pilot explained, their flight wasn't purely transportation only, but the moment to enjoy the expanse of Hardy Reef from a birds' eye view. The sight of nearly submerged white sand beaches beneath the bluest water was absolutely breathtakingly beautiful. Thankfully, Hermione did bring their camera, and Draco took a few shots knowing that the pictures wouldn't do the honours the view really deserved.

But at least, he could show his mother something.

During the entire ride, Hermione perched her chin on his shoulder, admiring the landscape from a safe distance. Her warmth against his back warmed his heart, knowing all too well that flying on this bird was not her favourite pastime. Nonetheless, she was here, and he covered the arm around his waist with his, squeezing her hand lightly.

All of a sudden, he turned the camera towards them and pressed the button, "I don't care if we look bad, but at least we have one picture of us inside this bird."

 _This must be the ugliest picture of us with our headphones and my weird face_ , was the first thought to cross her mind, as she barely had the time to compose herself. But she caught up with his second try and flashed the widest smile possible. His charms were irresistible and she felt genuinely happy at that moment.

-oOo-

"Tell me, are your emotional batteries low again?" She saw him shove food onto his plate like during lunch earlier, while they perused the choices at the Belvedere buffet restaurant. Between his Waldorf salad and pork pie, he scooped a healthy portion of roast and potatoes, drizzling extra gravy over the mountain of food.

"I'm starving, witch. Flying, swimming and diving, it wore me out, and I'm simply famished." The curry looked delicious, but he found no free room on his plate. "I'm coming after this chicken curry for seconds." Hermione scooped some onto her plate and he decided to steal some of hers to sample the dish.

Hermione watched him devour his plate at an incredible speed, "You look like Ron now."

Draco squeezed his eyes, mouth set in a hard line, "Thank you for the compliment," and resumed eating at a slower speed. Fixing his scrutinising glare on her eyes, he scooped a fork of curry from her plate and ate it in slow motion.

"I knew you're going to do this, why do you think I scooped a larger portion?" By now, she could read his antics with ease. In fact, Hermione even assisted, pushing her plate closer to his own, so he could devour her curry between eating his personal selections.

"It's been a while since we went on a date. What do you think about booking a table at the Sindhu the day after tomorrow?"

The biggest difference between Draco and Ron was that the blond at least spoke with an empty mouth. "Isn't this now also a date?" She didn't mind an opportunity to try the fantastic cuisine of the Indian restaurant again.

"I mean you and me dressed to the nines dining with all the romantic fuss, like candlelight and soft classical music. We're eating at the moment between the muggle chaos and serving ourselves from the buffet. Does this feel romantic to you?" This was absolutely not the place to get down on your knee, especially not when an older man spilled some greens on the ground almost next to Draco's foot.

"I guess you're right, though I never took you for a cheesy romantic soul." Hermione perched her chin on her hands, giggling at his pout, "Tomorrow, we're visiting Cairns. It will be cool to ride a train that's not the Hogwarts Express."

"It was that or the crocodile park. Let us say I'm tired of being contemplated as possibly the next meal. One shark was enough." He still shivered at the memory, hours later.

"Poor Draco Malfoy, my wizard is so scared of one little hammerhead shark…" She flashed him a duck face before caving to a fit of giggles.

His glare promised nothing but retaliation...

* * *

 **AN:**

 **For aesthetics with a few images of what they discover, pop over to Tumblr ruthy4vrsmoaked-ed . tumblr . com**

 **Coming up next: Cairns**


	43. Day Fifty-One

Day Fifty-One

She should have known from the start. Even seen it coming from miles away. Yet, somehow the youthful-Draco making a new appearance aboard the amphibian vehicle known as army duck or army DUKW took her by surprise.

The train ride had been sweet along the steep ravines, over bridges and through countless tunnels, riding barely meters away from the impressive Stoney Creek Falls, one of the many waterfalls they saw on their route. When the centuries-old locomotive held a ten-minute obligatory stop at the lookout for a sweeping view of Barron Falls, they left their carriage like everyone else, for a snapshot of the steep four-tiered cascade waterfall, plus another of the corresponding sign to remember later its height precisely, which measured one-hundred and twenty-five meters.

Thanks to the conductor, they added a picture of them hugging fondly to their collection. What they didn't notice was the second picture of the kiss following that hug. It seemed as if the lady conductor had a weakness for unbridled romance.

Hermione couldn't say he found the two-hour train ride from Cairns to Kuranda boring, for that he listened too intently to the commentary detailing the history of the hundred year old railway and its construction which took almost ten years to complete. They even debated about the route from London to Hogsmeade, how it had been built and the like, putting this little query aside for later research.

But when his gaze fell on the weird vehicle which was something between half boat and half tour bus, she could swear that his grey orbs sparkled vividly.

"We're riding this front row, witch. I don't care if we have to confound people, I really don't." He didn't walk with her towards the platform. No, he tugged her behind him to be at the front of the line, casting a wandless _confundo_ at a couple who threatened to steal his place.

Luck was on their side as well, because nobody claimed the two remaining spots on their front row, allowing them to pass the camera between each other and shoot picture after picture without the hindrance of fellow passengers.

Yet, he hung on the young guide's lips, Adrian. The young ranger not only explained the vehicle's origin - the answer to the American and Allied Military's issue on how to transport cargo to the troops - he also revealed how the six wheels of their duck spun underwater while the propeller worked to avoid getting stuck on obstacles.

Even Hermione felt impressed knowing that many of these DUKWs are still used in case of flooding, to rescue civilians. However, when the man spoke of the engine's specifications, she and Draco spaced out. She wasn't interested, and he was out of his depth here.

Otherwise, the numerous descriptions concerning the rainforest flora and fauna, none of them were lost on them. Whether it was about the ancient trees - ferns the most common - or the fiddleheads, edible curled fern fronds; Draco absorbed it all, shooting pictures of every discussed plant.

Also, by the way he bit his lip, she guessed he was cursing the lack of a notebook to take notes. Especially when Adrian described a particular shrub as the stinging bush and how its toxin could make _you feel as if they are stabbing needles on the same place for hours_ , the potioneer in Draco itched to grab a sample for further investigation.

"We don't need to test the claim… please?" Just to be sure, Hermione kept his hand in a vice hold.

"What if we can create an anti-toxin poti-?" His face lit up, and he forgot his words on the spot . The Duck dove into the muddy water and Draco scooted as far forward as possible to watch first how the nose delved into the water and then sought to see the water trail behind them.

His delighted face was the spitting image of Harry while touching his Firebolt for the very first time. He dipped into the water with outstretched fingers, shaking his hand dry moments later and glancing at her with a broad smile and gleaming gaze. She snapped a photo quickly, one for her personal collection.

The guide scared Draco for a second, "You, mate, you're lucky there are no crocodiles in here, or you might have lost your hand in the best-case scenario." The rest of the group laughed, "We can't keep those seven-meter crocodiles in our waters, because they would have no trouble jumping inside, and eat our tourists." You could see the laughter disappear on everyone's face, including Hermione's, who glanced at the muddy waters and patting her wand in the hidden pocket, just in case.

The twenty minutes flew by in a heartbeat; Hermione didn't mind going back for a second tour if given a chance. Alas, they had to follow the group towards the last leg of their excursion, the Rainforestation Nature Park.

The large panel at the entrance advertised several meeting opportunities, "Draco, we can take a new photo with the koala's." One of the pictures showed a young girl holding a koala, and the longing revived.

They were given an hour free time, which they used to head down towards the koala sanctuary the fastest, "Look at that cute animal, why do they call it the Tasmanian Devil? Such a lovely beast."

A caretaker responded, "Sir, this cute animal's jaw is capable of eating his prey, bones and fur included." Draco blinked, nodded and retreated a few steps. Hermione grinned behind a hand.

"Is this dog also so dangerous?" He became wary of all cute looking furry animals.

"He looks less nasty than Sirius Black in his dog form if you ask me. At least this Dingo doesn't look like the Grimm." She impersonated Trelawney while taking a photo of the light ginger furry dog, who seemed to pose for the camera.

But the same caretaker shattered their hope, "Our Dingoes eat dog food but also enjoy a good rat or sheep. Does the gentleman desire to rub its head? I can call him closer if you wish."

Quickly, Draco put a decent distance between him and the fence, eyeing the Tasmanian devil's area carefully, "No, thank you. I'm allergic to dogs…"

"He suffers from scary-nitis," Hermione added snickering.

"The lady can try too…"

It was Draco's turn to snicker. "She suffers from the same condition, what's its name again? Scary-nitis?" She stuck out her tongue.

Further away, a booth sold small buckets of kangaroo food. Hermione stretched her hand fearlessly, grinning at the sensation of the thin lips licking her palms. Draco, however, barely spread his arm, and she had to push him further so the Wallaby could come closer, "He won't bite, my henpecked."

He remained suspicious, "How do you know?" Keeping a steady eye on the mouth's movement.

"You're feeding him grass, they are herbivores. If he bites your finger, it's because he mistook it for a twig." She pecked him on the cheek. "He's not Buckbeak, Draco, relax." It took her everything not to burst in a peal of laughter.

Finally, they arrived at the Koala sanctuary, having crossed the reptile section in record time. Nor Draco or Hermione felt at ease when the eyes of one giant crocodile followed them as if he was assessing his next dinner.

"I'm not edible, you ancient monster," Draco mumbled towards the pond, rejecting the staff's invitation to watch the feeding show, or worse, to take a picture with one of the younglings.

"Yes, you are, at least to me…" Hermione whispered back while snaking both her arms around his.

Once arriving at the koala partition, their dread melted in nanoseconds. Lazy sleeping koala's had a visible influence on the couple who were excited at the display. One koala hung onto a branch as if the thick tree arm was his favourite cuddle. "Hermione, tell me how you can sleep that way comfortably? Look at that other one, with his belly hanging off the tree?"

Hermione giggled at Draco's perfect description, "I wonder the same. He's barely hanging on the branch by an arm and a leg."

A few feet away, a staff member gently put a Koala on the arms of a blond child. Hermione whispered, the wanting hearable in her voice, "We can hold them here for the picture."

They shared a look and joined the queue, "Let us go for three pictures, one alone each and one of us together." The cost was irrelevant to him, the desire to hold the animal all the more, share this experience with her.

"You can't shrink him into our bag and keep him, Draco." Err on the caution side, she zipped her beach bag and squeezed it between body and arm.

He shot her a look of alarmed befuddlement, "I'm not going to steal it. I'm not that crazy, but admit it," his tone softened just as fast, "that he looks like a cuddly toy. Fluffier than Tharion, my dragon toy."

"You had a dragon toy named Tharion?" Somehow she couldn't picture toddler Draco schlepping his toy down the stairs at the Manor.

"It's a Ukranian Ironbelly, and I still have it." It was quiet for a few moments. "Hidden inside a drawer in my dressing room. My mother kept it for me." He was reluctant in his confession. "Far away from my father's claws."

She shared her secret in return, blushing, "I still have a grey Miffy bunny at my apartment, I salvaged it from the mess the Death Eaters left behind in my house."

A dark-haired woman dressed in the park's uniform, interrupted their moment, "Hello, I'm Kate. Who's holding our Sunny for the picture?"

Draco pointed at Hermione, "She's going first."

While Hermione smiled wide for the picture, Draco's grin became a light frown, pressing his lips together.

As Hermione wanted to inquire, the photographer cut her off and ushered them into the new pose suggesting that Draco stood behind his witch, helping support the koala with a hand. Instantly, the blond's face lit up, his arms encircling the brunette's waist, one hand right underneath Hermione's, the other tenderly against her belly. His chin rested on the top of her head.

It barely took seconds, and before he realised it, he had a furry bundle in his arms. He stared into the big round dark orbs and mumbled, "Next time, don't grope my girl's assets, friend. Or we'll have to have words."

The keeper Kate heard him and smirked, shaking her head. Luckily for him, the photographer snapped at the moment he smiled, waiting impatiently until Draco stopped talking.

While they waited for the printouts, Hermione couldn't hold it any longer, "What did you say to the poor koala? Why were you frowning during my picture?"

"Have you felt his paws on you?" He counted two more tourists before their pictures came out.

She wondered for a second, "Not really, it all went so fast." The girl in front of them yelped of happiness. Hermione took a peek and grinned, it seemed as if the Koala also laughed for the picture.

"He groped you. His paws were on your tits." That last one was gritted through his teeth, "That part of your body is my territory, no adorable Sunny paws allowed." They finally received their pictures inside a cardboard photo frame, "See! I'm right, look at the little devil's hand!"

The koala's spread fingers covered nearly half of her breast, "He didn't mean it that way." She broke in laughter, "Poor koala, he just grabbed whatever he could."

"He held my shoulder, I mean it… see, the little rascal knew what he was doing!" He could hardly contain his laughter, though he wanted to evoke outrage.

Precisely at this point, Kate crossed their path with Sunny in her arms, "It's naptime for this little guy. By the way, mate, it's not the first time I see a jealous husband complaining about misplaced paws."

"Is that so?" Hermione admired the sleepy animal in his keeper's arms, tilting her head; Sunny's cuteness flooded her spirit with joy.

"Yes, mate. Happens every day and I can't blame your mate either. I suspect they do know where its softest to land their paws and especially with sheila's." For once it was Draco who flashed the 'I-told-you-so' glare.

-oOo-

On their ride back to the Arcadia, Draco couldn't stop staring at the pictures, shifting one behind the other non-stop.

"I can't be mad at Sunny, no matter how much I want to." He glanced sideways out the window, though he mostly ignored the scenic views they crossed by coach. "They look lazy, but they are damn smart. He knew exactly where to aim." He pointed at the precise spot. Yet, the happiness radiating from her picture, how she sparked brightly, signified a quiet wave of contentment spreading through his body. Not that he didn't beam on his own photo, or that he didn't notice how their couple picture glowed of delight.

Those three images unearthed a great joy he hadn't encountered in a long time.

"In a way, he's like you. You're always looking for the best." She leaned her head against his shoulder, surrendering to the bliss. When she started this cruise, holding a koala in her arms belonged in a never-happening bucket list. _See me now_ , she thought, _I held one twice_.

"I hope it's only his cunning thinking up to which similarities go, in your opinion. In case you've noticed, I'm less furry." He leaned over to bite her in her earlobe.

"Plus your hair isn't grey." She replied dreamy, "Yet."

"Witch… wait until we're in our suite." He pinched her side, making her jerk away with tickles.

She didn't complain.

* * *

 **A.N.:**

 **As always a big thank you to Magzillasaurus.**

 **To all my lovely reviewers and especially my dearest guest reviewer Sara: thank you for your lovely words every time. I don't get to answer any review lately, but your words are the reason why I keep writing. THANK YOU!**


	44. Day Fifty-Two Part I

**A big shoutout to Iriseagles, MahallieMacKenzie, Pureblood_Muggle from DFW FB group for giving me suggestions, I was lacking inspiration. Thank you, ladies!**

 **A big thank you to my partner-in-beta-crime, Magzillasaurus, my dear beta who cleans up my writing mess.**

* * *

 **Day Fifty-Two**

"Where's that arse-kissing slimy toad when you need him?"

Draco was a man on a mission. He used a serious amount of sweet-talking which included 'Be astonishing tonight' and his signature Malfoy-charm to push Hermione for a beauty session at the Oasis Spa. Ultimately, she surrendered to his most significant asset: his goofy smile.

"We've dined there already." She had said, walking at his side nevertheless. He ordered the full package - thank Merlin he heard his mother request those often. Skin cleaning, relaxing facial mask and _make-up_ as the finishing touch. He learned that word not so long ago when Hermione complained he was messing with her _make-up with all his kissing._ _Witches..._

He countered immediately, "I know, love, I know we did. But I want us to have the perfect date tonight. You'll wear your magnificent dark blue gown for me, your curls in that loose bun you do, and I want every tosser on that restaurant to turn their heads and curse me as the luckiest bastard on earth." He should have probably said such first because it sealed the deal; she allowed him to escort her to the wellness room.

Now as his witch relaxed on the treatment table, he sought Perkins at the most logical place, where the man often paraded his slimy treats, the reception. Unfortunately, the butler was absent. "Balls."

"Can we help you, sir?" A young red-haired woman, dressed in a spotless ironed light blue and navy uniform, smiled stiffly polite. Seconds later, she turned into a girl infatuated on the spot, batting her eyebrows, ear-to-ear smile and tilted head. Draco recognised the signs, used to this kind of behaviour from young witches - and their mothers, in some cases.

Once, it stroked his ego, made him stand taller, a weapon to achieve his means.

Nowadays, he couldn't care less. All that he needed was hopefully enjoying whatever happened downstairs.

"I'm looking for the slimy toss-, I'm sorry," For a second, he was happy for Hermione's absence, almost hearing the earful to follow his comment, to say the least. "I'm looking for Perkins, I need him urgently."

"I'll call him for you straight away, Mr... who shall I say needs him?" stuttered the girl with a sweet voice, flushing redder by the minute.

"Mr. Malone, _Rio de Janeiro_ suite." Honestly, the sweet talk irritated him to no end. _How your thoughts could change…_ In the meantime, he turned his back to the desk, ignoring the sighing and lovey-dovey eyes, foremostly for his sake.

Altogether, his wait took no longer than five minutes before the man appeared, but to Draco, if felt like an hour, "You took your time."

Perkins's face soured, "I'm sorry, Sir. What can I do for you, Mr. Malone?" The man visibly toned down his urge to bite back _, probably thinking about his tip…_

"Tonight's reservation at the Sindhu..." Outside the butler's notice, Draco cast a _Muffliato_ , "It's a special occasion, and I need your help." Draco spent his entire night awake considering all sorts of possible romantic way, in the end, deciding to rope in the butler as a last resort.

"Yes, Sir." The usual annoyance regarding his least-favourite passenger melted, anticipating the blond's intention.

"I want to, eh…" Draco bit his bottom lip.

"I've arranged for your table on the balcony, per request, which is, in my opinion, the perfect spot for your plan." Perkins rubbed his hands.

The blond nodded, "Yes, great, perfect…" A deep intake of breath followed.

"We can hide something in the dessert if you wish, or inside Missus flute champagne, if you prefer." A light bubble went visibly on inside Draco's head, the possibilities seemed wider than first thought. "Our staff is at your service to make this your most memorable moment. If you so desire, you can make it a public announcement."

"No!" Draco shouted, startling both butler and wizard, "No... no public announcement, she'll skin me alive." Knowing Hermione the way he already did, that was not a good idea at all. "But you can hide a ring within her dessert?"

"The bakery chef will lay it on top, most likely within a bed of whipped cream." Perkins rejoiced in the prospect, calculating if it was possible to sneak in the corner of the restaurant and watch it unfold. Deep down, the butler never resisted romance on board. Such moments were so much better than on the telly. "You can give it to me now, or upon arrival at the maître, I'll inform him straight away."

"Let him know, I'll hand over the ring as we arrive." No way he was giving Perkins the valuable jewel, his trust in the man didn't reach that far.

"Very well, Sir." The butler bowed respectfully, Draco turned around to leave. "If I may, Sir." The blond hesitated, facing him again, "Forgive my liberty, Miss Granger is an amazing woman, you've chosen well."

For the first time, Draco smiled at him genuinely, "Yes, I have."

-oOo-

To calm his nerves, he headed for a whiskey at the Rising Sun Pub.

"Ah, our favourite blond boy is here!" Terry shouted from across the room. "Join us for a Guinness, son."

"No, no Guinness for me, I have no memories of what happened the last time I got drunk on those." Today wasn't the day to get pissed, of all days. He faced the waiter, "I'll have a scotch on the rocks."

"Have you already proposed, son? How did the opera go?" Henry cut down to the point.

"The opera was perfect, but I haven't proposed yet." The words had been on the tip of his tongue the entire evening. It was his promise and the lack of a ring which held him back at the time.

Donald put down his beer, "When will you then?"

"Tonight. I'm so bloody nervous." Draco gulped down his tumbler in one turn, regretting it on the spot. He felt it rise straight to his head in a heartbeat.

Anticipating the issue, Terry pushed the bowl with crisps towards the blond, "Why so? Do you expect her to say no?" The old man was dying to share the good news with his wife, Louise.

"How are you tackling the moment? By sunset at the nose of the ship, going down on one knee?" Henry launched into an old fashioned interrogation - honed by his years as a former police investigator; the group binding together as also Donald inched in.

The latter added, "The ladies love to see us on one knee, don't forget it. Helen gave me an earful because I forgot to do it," rubbing the back of his head.

Draco smoothed a hand over his face, "Perkins suggested hiding the ring in her dessert. Should I do the knee instead?"

Donald's face lit up, "No, lad. Son, that's perfect. Just make sure she doesn't swallow it. Women sometimes don't see shit before their eyes." The men snickered.

"Where are you dining tonight?" Terry waved the waitress, asking for a new round of beers and a cola for Draco. While the others grilled the young man, Terry took it upon him to keep the blond sober. To him and his wife, the young couple felt like the children they never had, no matter how idiotic it sounded, given the fact they met the two youngsters barely two months ago. "Do you have a ring already?

The fizzy drink was accepted as Merlin's gift, "At the Sindhu, Perkins booked us a table on the balcony. I bought the ring in Sydney."

"Son, you're doing it all by the books." Terry's observation was met with two more appreciative hums.

Notwithstanding a jaw muscle's twitch, Henry demanded sternly, "Tomorrow, we want a detailed report, plus expect our wives inspection regarding your choice of jewellery." His biggest worry was how to rein in his Margaret, they were dining at Sindhu's later also. If his lovely wife caught a sniff on the plan, he feared a disaster in the making.

Yet, calling off the Sindhu for tonight was an absolute no-go. Henry feared Margaret's wrath more.

-oOo-

Draco saw Hermione approach the mirror while he straightened his bow tie for the last time. He gave her a once-over allowing the wave of reverence to radiate through his body, a familiar sensation nowadays.

On any other given day, she would be complaining about him undressing her quicker than the opposite, that is until his ministrations turned her arguments into moans of pleasure.

He postponed his seduction plans until after dinner, even if his cock twitched in anticipation of his ring blinking around her finger.

"Rein in your dirty mind, dear dragon. You're undressing me with your eyes, Draco." She wiggled between the mirror and the wizard, checking his tie. Her hands flattened the lapels of his grey suit, the colour bringing an electrifying shade to his eyes. "I'm hungry."

"What does the lady wish to eat?" He opened the door and offered her an elbow.

"My answer is not suitable for public places." Hermione pecked his jaw with a cheeky smile. His groan elicited a peal of laughter.

-oOo-

"Your menus." The maître d' handed over the map to Hermione, already opened on its first page. Her gaze flew instantly to the starters listing and missed, therefore, the covert exchange of a tiny box. A barely noticeable nod confirmed the intention.

"Our Chef recommends the _Jai Tarang_ , hand-dived scallops accompanied by broccoli couscous and cauliflower puree. If you prefer a meat starter, our roast lamb chops with aubergine chutney and feta cheese are absolutely delicious. As a main, today's special is our signature plate with a superb tamarind salmon curry, saffron chicken korma and lamb Rogan josh; or the succulent duck breast on a bed of mustard _poha_ and aubergine fritters." The man exchanged a meaningful glance with the blond, "As a dessert, our Dessert Chef suggests a delicious Baked Alaska for two."

Hermione closed her menu with a clap, and returned it, "I don't need to think further, I'll take the _Jai Tarang_ scallops, the Signature dish and we'll share the Baked Alaska. Do you agree, Draco?"

"I'm fine with the dessert," His smile carried a secret message concealed from Hermione, "I want the _Calcutta Batak_ duck and the _Gosht Ki_ lamb chops as a starter."

 _So far so good_ , Draco thought. They sat at the centre table on the balcony, a beautiful small arrangement of white flowers adorning the table beside a burning candle. Even the weather wizards cooperated: the moon threw a bright white path over the rippling sea, and a subtle breeze blew between them, carrying the scent of flowers and saline in the air.

"After Port Rabaul, a naturalist is coming to the talk event, someone quite famous in the UK, Nigel Marven. He's very passionate in his retelling about wildlife." She sipped her champagne after clinking against his flute. Out of all the activities for the upcoming sea day, hearing a man who previously worked together with David Attenborough talk, sounded the most interesting.

Her thoughts strayed to their entrance at the Sindhu. Draco caught all the female attention, his grey suit paired perfectly with his platinum-blond and the eyes, making him look extra attractive.

Emboldened, she stood straighter and beamed more confidently than usual.

Whenever the occasion required, Draco applied his honed poise to handle himself in public with grace. Tonight, he showed her off, guiding her between the maze of tables, a light hand on her lower back, pulling the chair before the maître d' could do the honours. A woman's self-confidence rose for a lot less.

"It sounds interesting," Discovering more about non-magical animals intrigued him. At least, it wasn't his least favourite muggle sport, tennis, "How was your wellness?"

"I fell asleep." She giggled, biting in her appetiser, a tiny toast with some pate and a kind of orange little jelly-ish eggs, "The girl had to wake me up. Between the gong ritual and the hypnotising massage of my temples, lights went out."

"Sounds like you're tired." Draco assumed her sleeping included snoring also. He brought this fact up a few times, and she denied it heatedly, by lack of evidence. Once back home, he planned to show her all the proof she needed, minus confessing how cute he actually found it.

"We did have some intense activities back to back, plus you can't keep your hands off of me…" Her eyebrows wiggled, setting down the little spoon she used to spoon the salmon mousse.

"I don't hear you complain, I-" The waiter's arrival interrupted him.

"For the lady, we have here our _Jai Tarang_ , briefly baked scallops in a bed of delicately…" The ginger-haired waiter described Hermione's plate to the tiniest detail, bowing with devotion and clear adoration while ignoring Draco's steaming plate. Furthermore, the man barely paid attention to the blond's rising temper. The wizard noticed the man's evident crush quickly and hated every bit of it. He planned to propose to her most romantically, not see some penguin in a suit make lovey-dovey eyes at his witch, in Salazar's name.

The blond cleared his throat, "Can I have my food, please?" Both men sized each other up for a few seconds, whereafter Draco's plate was set down a little harsher than required.

"Draco, you're cute when you're jealous." Her eyes twinkled, chin resting on her folded hands. She witnessed first hand the proverbial _if looks could kill_. The non-basilisk version that is.

"He almost kneeled to serve you. I can't have a servant fighting for your attention under my nose." His mind ran all sorts of painful revenge plans, in case the same bloke showed up.

"I don't see you kneel for me," as usual, Hermione cut half of her scallop, scooped from the broccoli couscous and cauliflower puree, offering her fork.

"Oh, no? Remember, three days ago? I wasn't bending at the waist if I recalled the moment correctly," grey eyes sparked a loaded gaze, "I only kneel before one person on particular occasions." Challenging, he munched on the offered bite slowly.

Hermione scraped her throat, "Right." it felt instantly as if the temperature rose a few degrees. "Do you like my scallops?" The night was young, and if he were going to raise his game already, she would be an aroused mess by the end of their meal. Her git had the talent to undo her with only a few words, after all.

"I do. Here, taste some of mine, darling." Draco repeated the gesture, as tradition demanded. "I'm less fond of the cheese thing, but I fancy how well chutney pairs with the lamb." he warned her with a head shake, "Don't offer to trade, I can see you prefer yours as well."

"Feta cheese is an acquired taste, I agree. I prefer it in salads or on a toast rather than paired with meat." They ate in silence. A flock of gulls squawked in the distance.

The plates were picked up by a different waiter, to Draco's satisfaction. Yet, his relief was short term. This time, the annoying servant nearly fell by bowing so deeply towards Hermione while describing the contents of her main plate to the smallest detail once again, his back turned openly to Draco.

The brunette kept her cool, barely reacting to the exaggerated behaviour, nodding a few times uninterested. She took Draco's hand over the table and laced their fingers, nudging a little to calm his visible agitation, before her wizard forgot his environment and acted accordingly. Alas, the waiter kept ignoring her table companion, "Draco, yours looks very tasteful too." The adoring laugh froze into a thin line, her gaze staring coldly at the server.

In a blink of an eye, the steaming plate landed beneath Draco's face. The blond gritted as soon as the man disappeared, "I promise you, if he stares one more time into your cleavage, I'm hexing his arse. He'll have to shit standing up for an entire week." Hermione covered her mouth just in time to prevent a shower of white wine over the table, shoulders shaking from laughter.

Instead of eating from their own plates, they shoved the dishes together and picnicked. The salmon curry was divided perfectly as if both were counting the other's scoops. The duck always ended in the mouth with a generous portion of the _poha,_ flattened rice flakes bathed in a mustard sauce. The faces flushed at each bite, hands fanned the heat in their mouths, especially after testing the aromatic curried lamb, _Rogan Josh_. Only the aubergine fritters catered less to their taste while the saffron chicken _korma_ offered soothing for their taste buds.

"I feel that all my airways are open and working." Her tongue burned deliciously. For her, nothing went above a decent spiced curry.

"The dessert will calm our taste buds." More than he expected, anxiety raged through his body. Sitting quietly was nearly impossible, his rehearsed speech started to sound like a broken record in his head, and he lost count of how many times he dried his hands on his pants. It wasn't hesitation or doubt, it was his will to make this moment memorable. To hear Hermione recount this moment to their children one day with the same intensity as he listened to his mother describe hers.

"DRACO! HERMIONE!"

Draco slack-jawed, incredulous. His pleading look towards Henri, who paced slower behind his wife, was retributed by an apologising glance. Draco loved the grandpas and adjusted to the crazy group of old bats attached to them, _but at this precise moment?_ Right now, Henri resembled Arthur Weasley, shovelling behind a fire-spitting Molly. In a blink of an eye, Draco pictured himself pushing Margaret over the railing for good riddance.

"Margaret, Henri, are you eating here too?" Unaware of the exchange between the men, Hermione rose from her seat and kissed the newly-arrived couple.

"Yes, we finally scored a table. Henri seemed always to arrive too late at reception." The woman spared a much-telling glance sideways. "Do you want us to ask for joined tables? Have a double-date?"

Draco's face coloured a shade of green, at the prospect of having an audience to his master plan.

"Marge, let the young ones-" The husband remarked.

At the same time, Hermione politely turned down the invitation, "Maybe another time, Margaret…"

Henri murmured something into his wife's ear. Whatever it was, it lighted the woman's face, "Silly of me, interrupting a romantic date between these two lovebirds." She wove a hand, "I'll go now, inspect the menu of this lovely restaurant and completely forget you're both here." Somehow, it came across as the complete opposite.

The older man mouthed _I'm sorry_ while pulling his wife behind him to prevent more harm. Yet, as he headed towards the chair facing the couple, his Marge beat him to it with a very Molly-ish grin.

"I love her, but sometimes she's just a little too much," Hermione confessed in a whisper. "If she joined us tonight, we would be kissing our peace of mind goodbye. Plus, I don't want to share my baked Alaska with anyone else besides you."

"Lucky me." A waiter approached to clean their table. "Bloody hell." It was his favourite servant.

"Have you enjoyed your meal, madam?" The man bowed, batted his eyelashes and took her plate away dreadfully slowly. Using the crumber, he cleared the few bits around Hermione's place, shoving the cutlery for dessert into the right position.

"I have." His approach was working on her nerves, as he took Draco's plate away with much less of a fuss, using his crumb-scrapper just for the looks. The crumbs remained where they were.

"Your dessert will be here in moments, can I do anything else, madam?"

The brunette cringed from the sugar-sweet tone, "No, you can go, thank you." Her corners curled up for a fraction of a second.

"If you need my services, just wave, and I'll be here in an instant." Alas, the absence of an answer forced the waiter to leave their table.

"I'm just this far short of hexing his arse." Looking menacing, Draco pinched two fingers until there was barely room in between.

"Draco, if he speaks to me again like this, I'll cast the hex myself." Draco loved it when they shared a mischievous moment, the evil grin on Hermione's face appealing to his Slytherin. Still, he wasn't satisfied with the way the waiter treated him. The wizard murmured and punched a fist in the air. The waiter lost the grip on a soup plate, that shattered in pieces at his feet, the content spilt over the lap of an old woman.

"Your Slytherin is showing, Draco," Hermione followed the episode but focussed on the roguish face of her wizard.

"I am one. Do you think Malfoy men like to see peasants flirt with their women?" He sipped his red wine.

All of a sudden, the speakers came to life. "Ladies and Gentlemen, we have an extraordinary occasion in our Sindhu restaurant. May we have your attention, please?"

"What's happening, Hermione?" Draco was on high alert.

"Probably someone who's celebrating their birthday." She spotted an entertainer strolling between the tables, microphone in hand.

"There's a man in this room who wishes to ask his significant other an essential question."

Hermione rested her face on her hand soft smile around her lips, while Draco paled. He considered every possibility to evade the course of events, as he pictured Hermione taking revenge for proposing so publically.

The entertainer continued, "They haven't been together long, it's still very young love, but to this man, his woman is _the one_ , and he wants her to become his spouse."

"Draco, are you feeling alright? You look paler than a ghost." The brunette studied the blond's face, worried. She refilled his glass of water.

"Yes. I'm fine." He emptied his wine glass instead, reaching to the bottle and serving himself a new healthy portion. Drinking half of that amount, he started to sweat on his forehead, a crooked finger releasing some pressure at his collar. "I'm fine."

Suddenly, the entertainer stopped by an elderly couple, "Madam Edith, will you accept the honour of becoming Mister Mortimer's spouse?" The woman in question squealed, nodded frantically and extended the hand to accept the offered engagement ring.

The weight of a ton of bricks fell off Draco's shoulders, "You're smiling really cheesily, Miss Hermione," remarked the blond, visibly alleviated.

"Look at them, they look like a couple of enamoured teenagers. See her blush and giggle coyly." Hermione's cheeks blushed pink, applauding happily like the rest of the restaurant.

Draco riposted, "If I would do the same, have the man ask you to marry me for the entire room…"

" _You_ wouldn't sit on your arse for an entire week, at least, after I'm done with you. It looks very romantic, but I rather crawl under a table than to be the centre of attention." With tilted head, she confirmed Draco's assessment.

"I'm the last person to underestimate you. My nose hasn't forgotten..." _Should he call it off?_ Not only wasn't he the only guy proposing tonight, but his proposal might also draw attention.

Still, it was too late.

A waiter set their dessert perfectly in the middle of the table, a half-moon-shaped Baked Alaska with browned meringue. But where Draco expected to see the golden ring blink on the top of the dessert, he noticed a dent.

"Merlin's beard." He took his spoon and dug in the dent.

"Well, please be my guest and devour this two-persons dessert all by yourself." Confused, she pointed at the dessert and scooped some of the sides, her spoon filled with meringue, biscuit and vanilla ice cream.

"I can't find it." He took spoon after spoon of meringue, spreading the white layer over his dish, seeking the jewellery.

"What can't you find? Our dessert isn't a treasure hunt, Draco." To her biggest surprise, he started to fish with his finger. "Draco, what are you doing? Since when do you eat dessert with your fingers? Will you stop that?"

The deeper he dug, the deeper the ring sank in the ice-cream. To the point where he scissored two fingers through the middle to fish the annoying band, "Merlin's beard, I have it!" Relieved, he showed it to a shocked witch.

"Draco?" Hermione blinked.

* * *

 **A.N.:**

99 Days is officially a year old! Let's hear it for a monster of more than 130k!

I'm halfway our cruise, have 20 more ports to describe and a few tempests to deal with (evil grin), plus when our couple arrives at Southampton, their story is not finished yet.

Forgive me for my delay in updating. An acute attack of gallbladder stones forced me into emergency surgery and I'm recovering at a slow pace. On top of all my slow batteries, it's my vocal cords are giving me the biggest headache, I assume the intubation nicked them. Frustrating for someone who loves to sing.

Only need to get back on the horse to write more on this journey around the world. We have China, Japan, Mumbai and Dubai on our trip, among other ports...

But, don't fear, the mild cliffhanger I left you with will be published next week. It's ready :D

Thank you for all your continuing support, the lovely messages. They are the reason why I keep writing!


	45. Day Fifty-Two Part II

**Updating this from my hospital bed because your reviews are the best medicine. I haven't answered lately, mea culpa, but each one make me smile and some even laugh out loud.**

 **The next chapter is in the works but forgive me for the delay, copy paste a finished chapter is less of a burden than to write one while you're full of meds. However, don't worry, I'm recovering better than first thought.**

 **Caution: this chapter contains fluff and smut. 😂**

 **Thankful to have my Magzillasaurus at my side for the beta work, plus for all my fantastic readers.**

* * *

 **Day Fifty-Two Part II**

" _Draco?" Hermione blinked._

Time stood still all of a sudden.

This wasn't an ordinary ring, she knew. It wasn't something she expected to happen to her after all this time and absolutely not from the wizard across from her table. Even after a month and a half together, never had Hermione contemplated marriage as a possibility.

And yet, before her stood a wizard who looked relieved to find the missing item between a completely ruined ice cream dessert. Then, his face morphed from happiness into embarrassed before dropping into a serious expression.

Sticky fingers raked through blond tresses, oblivious to the mess the act left on his hair, "Ah shit, this was not the plan."

"I don't understand." _Was she dreaming?_

Draco stared at his catch, gold peeking between dots of yellow ice cream and browned meringue. Flustered, he rinsed the ring in his water glass, shook the few drops off and dried it to his napkin.

The wizard hesitated for a second. Taking a deep breath, he rose from his chair, approached her and went down on one knee, holding the engagement ring between two fingers. The ring consisted of two weaved golden threads, one entirely covered by round-cut diamonds interlacing dainty with a second rose gold vine, an elegant piece of jewellery.

"We haven't been long together, though we have known each other for years. You knew me at my worst, and at my best. You compliment me in ways I never thought possible, I'm still discovering how much we have in common each day. You'll say I'm acting too fast, but damn if I've ever been so certain in my life."

While Hermione waited for what followed next, neither noticed the silence around them, nor how Henry covered his wife's mouth to block the surprised shriek. All faces were turned towards the balcony, the young blond on one knee holding a hand carefully in his grip. Draco focused on the silent tear falling down her cheek, which was dried by a stroking thumb before the fingers returned to her hand.

"I want you to be my wife, the mother of my children, the woman with whom I grow old and grey. Never will I forgive myself for the way I treated you in my youth, but I'll spend the rest of my life showing you how much I respect and love you. Will you give me the honour of being your husband?" pleaded a hopeful Draco.

Hermione blinked the new wave of tears, giving him a watery smile. She tried to speak, but her voice denied service; she bit her trembling lip. Breathing deeply, Hermione cradled his face between her hands and kissed him once, then again until her voice regained control enough to answer, "I will."

Solemnly, Draco took her left hand and pushed the ring all the way down her ring finger.

Only then, did the couple notice the thunderous applause and the loud cheering coming from a very familiar female voice. Draco kissed her tenderly, then stared intensely at her blushing features. He kept drying her tears with stroking fingers, while she caressed his jaw while smiling between a sob or two.

Suddenly her face was pushed into a voluminous bosom, "Oh my god, that was so romantic! What an honour to witness this moment, oh my. Young boy, you nailed it!" Hermione was visibly not the only one tearing up. A tad too harshly, the older woman grabbed Draco's face and planted a wet kiss on each cheek despite the scrunching face. "Louise and Helen will be so jealous of me!"

"Margaret, this isn't about you, woman." Henri scolded, kissing Hermione's cheeks gently in congratulations before offering a steady hand to the wizard. "Well done, son. I'm only sorry that I couldn't stop this force of nature from invading your privacy. Her arthritis doesn't stop her from being sneaky fast." It took quite an effort to pull his nosey wife away from the couple, the woman continually looking over her shoulder with a suggestive grin.

The maître joined their table two flutes in hand, "Congratulations, our Captain wishes to salute your engagement with an offered glass of champagne."

Hermione couldn't take her eyes off her engagement ring, "You've chosen such a beautiful ring, Draco. The two golden bands braid like twined vines, I love it." She fixed her gaze on his, "Is this what you bought in Sydney at the jewellery store?"

He nodded, "Do you want to get out of here? I feel a thousand pair of eyes on us." He wanted to kiss her without eyewitnesses.

Each table they crossed congratulated them on their engagement, the other engaged couple even asked for a picture together. But eventually, they made it to the front of the ship.

Hermione shivered. Draco shook off his jacket and wrapped it around her, picking up her hand again to kiss her ring finger, gaze fixed on hers, "I meant every word, Hermione."

"Please, stop bringing up our past, I forgave you already. What matters is our future." She placed her hands on his chest, gliding them in synch towards his shoulders and his nape. "I relinquished the idea of ever getting married at all. I still can't believe it."

He silenced her most efficiently with a kiss, "You deserve happiness like everyone else, I'm the selfish bloke who wants to be your hero." He pulled her tight against his body, "I don't want to be engaged for too long. When we're back in Southampton, we'll marry as fast as possible," his hands curved around her face, raising her eyes to his gaze, "We can't go back to living alone after this cruise."

She admitted, "We're sharing more than a room, indeed." Going back to living apart didn't make sense. "What about your parents, we haven't spoken about them."

A rebel curl flew against her nose, and he shoved it behind her ear, "My mother will only ask me if you're the one. My father will raise an eyebrow, I'll stare very menacingly back, and he'll comply. Expect him to test you, but I'm certain you'll wipe the floor with him." After all that had happened, his father had no vote in the matter.

Draco knew that Narcissa's only concern was his happiness. His happiness had a name, Hermione Granger soon-to-be Malfoy. His father would yield, in the end, after a few threats from his wife, most likely.

She hesitated, "Are you sure your mother will accept me so easily? Your father doesn't scare me…"

His thumbs brushed her cheekbones, comforting, "My mother is ashamed of what Bellatrix did. Once she sees how happy I am with you, she'll want to give us the perfect wedding." He grabbed both her hands in a tight grip; her face paled. "Don't worry, we'll have an intimate celebration instead of the event of the year, in the company of only those who matter the most. Your parents and mine, your Potter, the Wease-Weasleys and my closest friends."

"You know me well. You've chosen the perfect ring, elegant and distinctive, and you understand I'm not fond of large opulent events." She kissed him softly remaining glued to his lips a few heartbeats long.

"I'm learning a thing or two here, inside this ship." Suddenly, he apparated them into their room. Cradling her face between his palms, he kissed her heatedly, his tongue seeking hers while guiding their bodies towards the bed. "I love you."

"Draco…" His mouth travelled to her ear, lick and bit her earlobe before moving south, from throat to collarbone; his hands unzipped her dress and pushed it down the garment to a pool of fabric at her feet.

Her fingers opened his collar in return, freeing the buttons of their confinements, pushing the hem out of his slacks and off his body until only the wrists remained the sole hurdle. He leaned back only to unlink his cufflinks, which fell on the ground with light thuds.

He breathed into her ear, "I want to make love to you," Grey sparks of fire lit her heart, "naked aside from my ring." Her bra followed his cufflinks unhooked by skilled hands, palms weighing her bosom, thumbs brushing the tips until they pebbled.

He tested her future name on his lips, "Hermione Malfoy." A whisper full of longing, the words a symphony in his ears.

"Your Hermione Malfoy." Her answer breathed between smiling lips. Her body was covered in goosebumps, shivers caused by wondering lips, kneading hands, tantalising voice.

He guided her backwards until her knees hit the bed. He hoisted and placed her in the centre, divesting the last pieces of clothing on his body, toeing shoes and socks with hurry. Lastly, he took her heels off, kissing the arch of her foot featherlightly. Between caresses and gentle kisses, no place was ignored. Skipping the place that longed the most for attention, he continued to map every inch of her body, favouring her bosom the most.

Draco kneaded mounds, pinched nipples, licked and blew breezes of air, delighting in her hisses and moans of pleasure. Hermione sought his hardness, wanting to return the favour. Still, he lined himself up between her folds, grinding softly against her clit.

"Draco… please…" a plea escaped her lips.

"You're beautiful," teeth closed around a nipple and bit softly, "You're passionate," this time, a bite on the other breast, "my most precious possession. Mine to hold," kiss on the tip of her nose, a hand lining up his cock with her entrance, "Mine to adore," the powerful thrust took her breath away, his length buried to the hilt within her core. "Mine to love."

Draco kept a languid pace going, pulling out nearly to the tip to sink till the end, savouring how wet he made her, how she twisted and panted.

Breaths mixed together, gazes fixed on one another, arms outstretched above her head, the fingers laced in a tight hold. He brought her left hand to his mouth, closed his lips around his ring, "Hermione Malfoy."

The wizard sensed the telling signs of his pending orgasm, but finishing alone was not his intention. His fingers sought her nub, rubbing firm eighths as the languid rhythm quickened into a primal need for release, "Come with me, love. I want to feel you come and squeeze my dick inside your cunt."

"Ah, fuck… Draco…" She threw back her head, offering him her extended neck, a gift he didn't resist. He bit and licked the abused place, incessantly murmuring praises and declarations of love. When he pinched her clit, Hermione arched her back and shouted her release, her frame suddenly wrapped in a pair of arms that held on tightly.

He jerked against her, grunted in her ear, "Herm… ugh… love… you feel… so good."

-oOo-

There was no notion of time until he recovered his breath.

Draco braced above Hermione but didn't shift his gaze from her face, kissing wherever his lips reached between substantial intakes of breath. Her mouth, the tip of her nose, a closed eyelid.

In return, her hands caressed his back, cradled a cheek, stroked the blond strands falling before his eyes.

It wasn't their first time, yet in a way, it felt as such.

"Hermione." He cleared his throat.

She waited in silence for the next words.

"I bought something else in Sydney." He admitted hesitantly. "You know how much… I mean, I've told you that I would like you…" He breathed deep, "I went back to the apothecary."

"Okay…" His hesitation was telling, she wondered what the hell did he do.

He moved them until they faced each other, his arm immediately claimed as her pillow. "I purchased a potion to neutralise your contraceptive potion." Admitting his purchase without her knowledge was harder than expected. "Will you drink it soon, love?

"Draco..." initially a strike of irritation flashed before her eyes, _stubborn wizard_ ; though her rage doused as quickly. He was asking for her consent instead of deceiving her.

"Listen, I can't say when I started to imagine you round with my heir under your heart. Since then, all I long after is letting nature do its work. Guessing where our baby was conceived, in Japan, or Mumbai or even just the day before we anchored at Southampton." He caressed her belly in a much-telling way.

"I prefer to enjoy us as a couple a little longer before children are added to the equation," retorted Hermione grabbing his hand and kissing the palm. "Create as many memories as possible while we're aboard the Arcadia first, celebrate our wedding afterwards, before we start our little family."

"Two is an absolute minimum." Draco reclined on his back, pulling her along.

Curling a leg between his, she rested her cheek on his chest, fingers playing with the chest hair, "I don't want a Weasley-sized family."

"We'll keep trying until we have one of each." He twitched under her, "Auw, don't be mean. Alright, we'll stop as soon as we have our own Malfoy quidditch team, The Mighty Malfoys!"

"Draco Malfoy, I'm not a baby factory!" Hermione poked his belly.

"You've got to admit that making all those babies is far from a burden." Grinning, he figured that he needed to stop teasing her, or his body would be covered in bruises by the morning.


	46. Day Fifty-Three

**Happy New Year!**

 **All my gratitude goes to my Magzillasaurus, as always.**

* * *

Day Fifty-Three

Perkins sought a path between the queueing masses, it resembled an effort to swim against the tide, "Excuse me. Pardon me. Can I get through?"

It was in the early morning when the Arcadia anchored at Kiriwina Island, part of Papua New Guinea. As usual, a few older passengers feared losing their spot in the tender boat queue and stayed put instead of stepping aside.

Finally, he got closer, "Miss Hermione, my congratulations on your engagement." He bowed, "Mr Malone, was everything to your taste?"

"Aside from an unprofessional servant and a melting dessert, I'm more than satisfied with the outcome." Draco kissed her ring finger, for the hundredth time, staring intently at his fiancée who rolled her eyes at the visible display.

Perkins nodded, lips pulled into a tight smile, "Excellent, I apologise for the dessert failure, and I'll pass on your comment about the waiter." The man could hardly confess he had beelined for the Sindhu instead of doing his job down at the Meridian, absconding his duty in favour of pure romance.

Hiding behind the counter and praying not to be reported to a superior, Perkins took note of the flirting waiter - on his way for a severe reprimand, as we speak - cursed the dessert mess; and in the end, grinned like a moron when the blond went down on one knee.

"I would like to inform you that our present destination is the largest of the Trobriand Islands archipelago, also known as the Islands of Love." The butler felt his cheeks heat, his behaviour far from professional. "As you know, there are no excursions for this port, but I hope you took my advice to have some Australian Dollars on hand in case one of the locals walks you through the island?"

Hermione confirmed, "Good morning Perkins, I have some banknotes indeed. You told me not to give coins, right?"

"Yes, indeed." Perkins prefered guest never let him down. He bowed slightly, "Please enjoy your visit."

"This bloke still gives me the creeps. He feels like a leech waiting for the perfect moment to suck your blood." Draco murmured aboard the tender boat.

Hermione grinned, "He'll never be your best friend, will he?" Their fingers were laced, and she nudged his hand, "Don't be too judgemental, Draco. In the end, he helped you plan a perfect evening yesterday."

"I still don't like him." He was going to miss a few things from this cruise, but the penguin wasn't one of them.

"I wonder why that woman has such a heavy bag with her," Hermione gestured at a passenger a few steps away from them. "It looks as if it's the end of the day instead of the beginning of her visit."

"I've spotted another over there," Draco gestured to one behind them. "Are they going on a hiking trip we don't know about?" His girl shrugged, clueless.

Between the crystal-clear water and jungle-clad cliffs, a gathering of locals waved at the incoming tender boat. Native people with broad smiles, the children visibly eager to make acquaintance with the newly arrived tourists. Behind them several wooden stands displayed handiwork for sale, wooden bowls, masks and other sculptures. Some not even on top of a table but presented on a cloth.

From all the places they visited during this cruise, this paradisiacal island might be the one where civilisation had been altered the least. On this Papua New Guinea Island, the roads were unpaved, no car in sight, women carried their burden on the top of their heads, a single bicycle in the distance.

Following the majority, Hermione and Draco walked after a young native boy who took one part of the couples with their overfull bags. Houses built out of sago palm trees and other bush materials, with pointy grassy roofs supported on pillars surrounded the sides of the main dirt road, the door often a big piece of fabric hanging on a rail of sorts.

"I don't see electricity poles or street lamps." Hermione was perplexed.

The young guide Rhua answered in broken English, "No miss, no lights here, only fires."

"No lights?" She thought of the Fiji Islands where the population did have this kind of modern facility. "But you do have running water, right?" Instantly, the blond wizard was grateful for his witch forward-thinking by taking a bottle of water from the Arcadia.

"When it rains enough or if men can dig up water from wells or caves." Draco considered the island's way of living to be almost pre-historical, difficult to accept in 2003.

Finally, the mystery of the full bags was unravelled. The woman walked towards the house marked as the doctor's office and was welcomed by a young caucasian man as a friend with hugs and kisses on the cheek.

Rhua noticed the interest and explained, "Missus comes here for the third time. She brings good things to the island. For doctor, good medicines against pain and sunburns, to the teacher, she brings biros, colouring books, and crayons."

"Oh." Her wizarding guide didn't mention this fact; otherwise, she would have brought her share of donations.

"We can buy a few gifts instead." Draco sensed her turmoil, "A few more things for your Potter, my mother, or whatever. If we ever return, we'll make it up. What these people need doesn't cost fortunes."

"My travel guide didn't mention anything…"

"I know. I also read the chapter, it barely speaks of this island as a destination." He grabbed her hand to return towards the shore and the stands with items for sale. "Yet, I have the feeling these people are happy despite the rudimentary conditions."

Hermione promised, "As soon as I'm back, I'll send an owl to the publishing company and demand a rewrite about Kiriwina Island implicitly mentioning the importance of bringing donations for the population." Looking over her shoulder, she saw the second passenger hand over her bag to the doctor who rummaged between the several cases of spectacles.

Clearly, these passengers were returning tourists with the foresight of packing necessities which at first glance appeared to seem meaningless, yet were as essential as they were appreciated. Hermione held up Draco to point out, "Even that makes sense, it's most probable that the locals have no easy access to prescribed lenses."

"I admit it's very thoughtful of these tourists." Many Purebloods would shrug their shoulders and move on, ignoring the needs, he thought, myself included.

On their stroll back to the shore, the pair passed a school and halted, surprised. The sound of young voices singing drew the attention of Draco, who joined a group of listening tourists at the entrance of a school. The simplicity of this act caught Draco most off-guard, he couldn't stop making comparisons between these muggle tourists and how he knew the magical folk to behave. As the song came to an end, the entire audience cheered with loud applause, Hermione taking a picture of a broad smiling blond.

One of the native children approached the wizard, holding his hand open, "Mista, you biro?" Draco looked at his girl, pleading for help. What the hell is a biro?

"I might have one, wait a second, sweetheart." Hermione rummaged between her packed bag, digging deep until her fingers connected with the familiar shape, "It's not a fancy one, but is this okay?"

It was a simple BIC, but it was like a lump of gold by the way the boy's features glowed in happiness. He ran off to show his friends how the point hid and appeared while pushing the top.

"If you gave a pen to me when I was his age, I would have judged you by the visibly low cost of your gift," Draco described the likely scenario in a low tone of voice. "How much does one of those biros cost?"

"Peanuts, I have a dozen back at home. I love to write with them, no need to dip in an inkpot to finish a sentence." She grinned. "They are far from the fanciest in appearance, but they are damn useful."

"I'm a wizard, I prefer to use my quill, witch." Before she gifts me a ton of these biros.

Nearly at the tender boat, they stopped at the few stalls displaying hand-made wooden bowls. Their finishings were less refined than the ones they found at San Francisco, more rudimental, not that it mattered in the end. Draco quickly chose two of them and moved on to the next booth to admire a woven bag made out of colourful string, "Do you like this one? It has the Slytherin colours."

The speed and determination that Draco employed to his purchases baffled Hermione. He wasn't buying any out of wanting to own something but to spend some money on a good cause.

To her great surprise, she heard him debate heatedly with a seller. She intervened on the local's behalf, "Draco, what are you doing?"

"Why are you looking at me like that? This bowl costs 8 Australian Dollars if I convert it gives me five pounds, and you taught me that five pounds are one galleon. Look at this bowl, isn't it worth more than a galleon?" Hermione blinked. The last thing she expected was to hear Draco arguing about prices being too low. "They can use the money." He shoved twenty-dollar bill in the man's hand and refused the change.

"You never stop amazing me." She kissed him on the spot, under the loud cheering of some local women. His face reddened, and she grinned, pecking him again for good measure.

-oOo-

After dinner, Hermione set their purchases on a row on the top of their bed. "I know you did this for a good reason, but what are we going to do with three baskets, four string bags and one... two… three... four, five and six carved bowls?"

"We'll divide them between your Potter and Weasley, my mother, Blaise and Pansy. Keep some for ourselves in our home." Standing all neat in a row, it was a little bit of an overkill, but he felt far from remorseful. If there was a population that could use some financial help, the Papua New Guineans were it. "The one with the Slytherin colours is yours, the one that looks like a Gryffindor purse is perfect to rile up Pansy. She hates to admit she looks good in red toned colours." He laughed giddily.

"Tomorrow Rabaul is on the menu." She glanced quickly at their excursion book, "Are you certain you want to see a volcano closely?"

"What's the worse that could happen?" He survived Voldemort, a little lava-spitting mountain didn't scare him.

"Let us hope Merlin doesn't decide to give you a taste of crispy Draco." It was in moments like this that she spotted the good Malfoy manners. Yet, she did make a cross, you never know...

* * *

 **A.N.:**

 **This was one of my most difficult chapters to write, mostly due to the lack of information about this island. It's one of the reasons why it took so long to finish, the other reason is that I've been a mess since Star Wars came out and my other OTP Reylo became canon for barely 1 minute. I've been a fan of SW even longer than I am of HP and to watch a 42yr old saga be managed by incompetent people who have no knowledge of the SW universe kinda riled me up in a bad way.**

 **Anyway, what have I learned from Kiriwina?**  
 **1) it's called the island of love because the Trobriand Islanders (in general) have a relaxed approach to sex before and even after marriage and where the ladies can have as many lovers as they please.**  
 **2) they have barely access to running water, no electricity and are indeed tremendously grateful with the gifts tourists bring. What I mention in this chapter was something I came across multiple times: returning tourists bring school material, fishing material, old glasses, you name it. Honestly, I felt slightly impressed by the generosity and the fact that many of these items are taken for granted by me, the modern girl. Consider me educated.**

 **So if you ever do set foot in Kiriwina, take with you some banknotes (preferably their own currency or Australian dollars they can trade, coins are useless), or some of these useful items. It might seem just a drop in the big ocean, but to them it means the ocean.**


	47. Day Fifty-Four

**Day Fifty-Four**

* * *

The Arcadia's nose cut through the calm Rabaul's bay waters, like a majestic white spear cutting a peaceful blue blanket in two. The young couple stood on their usual spot in front, the wind lifting around Hermione's curls and messing up with Draco's perfectly coiffed blond hair.

Draco was mostly curious to discover if this island also lived in a primitive century as their last stop Kiriwina had, silently hoping to find a more modern place. _Salazar, if my old-self heard me talk_ , thought the wizard, _worrying about basic muggle amenities_. Nowadays, he came to appreciate the perks of the muggle devices and even consider them essential. _My father would have a stroke on the spot..._

With a slight curling of his mouth, Draco noticed the electricity poles in the distance, a car or two driving on seemingly paved roads. The buildings appeared more like the usual brick constructions instead of the palm tree structures from Kiriwina, "Look love, these people are living in better conditions."

Hermione didn't react straight away, looking mesmerised at another point as far as the eye could see. She whispered enthusiastically, "Draco, do you know we crossed a bay with two volcanoes guarding the cove?"

Draco blinked confused, "I don't know what volcanoes are, I see several mountains." He spotted the conic shapes at the entrance while crossing, like two silent sentinels watching over the opening of the bay. Still, they looked like ordinary mountains, nothing special.

"They are mountains which can spit scorching hot lava out of their crater, capable of wiping out entire villages if they go active," Hermione remarked mindlessly. She sought the third low shape a little away from Tavurvur volcano. She pointed behind her, "That one called Tavurvur, for instance, erupted nine years ago together with its partner on the other side." She turned at the waist to point out the second peak, now behind them.

No longer at ease, he warily surveyed the surrounding landscape which formed a collection of valleys and peaks in a mix of brown and greenish colours. The frown on his forehead deepened the longer Hermione explained, "This entire region is called a caldera because it houses multiple volcanoes. Those two I just pointed out are the most active. But look further down. That smaller rounder mountain top you see? That's another volcano, a dormant one, called Kombiu, the mother." She laughed, oblivious to his growing unease. "She's the mother, and there are the North and South Daughters somewhere too, but I didn't memorise their names or the specific location."

"Active volcanoes?" A minor panic mixed with total confusion, neither Hogwarts nor his private tutor ever told him about lava spitting mountains. "Are they active today?"

"I don't think so. Otherwise, I guess P&O would have skipped this port." She squeezed his hand briefly before she laced their fingers together, "Don't worry, Draco. Come on, let's go downstairs."

Draco glanced warily at both mountains on his way to the stairs, Rabaul sounded less appealing all of a sudden.

The group for the Rabaul Highlights tour was divided into two minibuses, Draco nodding good morning to the two brothers from the helicopter trip at Honolulu who sat down next to them.

Hiding behind her wizard, Hermione stashed away the ice-cold water bottles inside her bag. She murmured a cooling charm, renewing the one she cast on the bottles she brought from the ship, as usual, prepared for the rainforest climate inherent to the island.

"You're a genius," The way his witch planned ahead each trip still surprised him, even after fifty-four days. He planted a quick peck on her cheek just in time. The bus jerked into motion.

Travelling up a very steep and bumpy hill, they were brought to the first stop overlooking the harbour and further down the volcanoes Tavurvur and Vulcan. Draco took his camera and shot a picture of the Arcadia docked between a sea of tropical trees, rose flower bushes, and both volcanos standing highly in the distance. _He needed visible proof of what a volcano was, his mother would never believe it otherwise._

Suddenly, the earth beneath his feet trembled lightly. He grabbed Hermione's arm as a reflex, cursing, "What the hell happened just now?" His witch shrieked alarmed over the low zooming sound that stopped at the same time as the shaking.

A deep baritone spoke louder behind the blond, "Don't get scared, people. This was a minor earthquake, we've been getting those often, lately."

"Earthquake?" Hermione was everything but at ease, and her discomfort did little to soothe Draco's stress which only increased from watching her pale.

"If you all follow me, I'll explain this and the other phenomenons concerning our very active volcanoes." The dark-haired sun-tanned man in a red polo shirt and black shorts pointed at a wall of tv screens and weird-looking machines with rotating drums and metal sticks scratching irregular lines over the paper.

"We're at the Rabaul Volcano Observatory where we measure daily the volcanic activity on our island. As you probably know, our two volcanoes Tavurvur and Vulcan, are still very active. The last eruption date was 1994 when both decided to erupt within about an hour of each other. Fortunately, our eighty thousand residents were evacuated on time. However, a few houses still bear the scars of the heated encounter with the orange burning sea of molten rock." The two groups practically hung at the guide's every word, aside from one or two wandering tourists. Those people showed more interest in the photos hanging on the wall and the lined up series of portable radios.

"My name is Mikhail, and I'm a member of the volcanologist team full-time in attendance on this island." He pointed to the furthest screen, "Each of these screens represents one of our eleven stations spread over the island to measure the seismic activity daily."

One of the brothers beat Hermione in time to ask the mutual question, "How do they transmit their data?"

Draco listened carefully to Mikhail's explanation, the line between his eyebrows deepening the more the man explained. "The telemetric sensors communicate with our equipment here through VHF or UHF radio waves. We still use two mechanical seismographs to register the strong motions." One platinum blond eyebrow rose to question silently, Hermione mouthing a 'later' as a promise to explain what in Salazar's name were HF things and telemetric sensors.

The entire complex shook again for a few seconds. Despite the reassuring words from the guide from before, the group froze warily between jiggling objects, and two thin-looking sticks scratched crazy small lines on the massive rolling paper drum. A few women screeched in panic.

Mikhail remained unphased by the newest quake, even slightly excited to have a hands-on example. He pointed to one of the tv screens retrofitted high on the metal wall, "Look at how these blue lines get thicker and wider? They measure the intensity of every tremor. We can see the data be confirmed on our seismographs, the pen on the top draws the lines over our paper roll. The wider, the heavier. We just felt a light 3.5 on the Richter scale." The guide rubbed his hands with a smile, however, his enthusiasm wasn't mirrored by the audience.

"On these screens, we also monitor the temperature of the hot springs and the fumaroles - openings in the crust through which hot sulphurous gasses emerge. Those are also signs of an impending eruption. Further, we even have an in-house developed method for seashore surveying, where we measure the rise of the tide beyond the normal levels."

Draco cleared his throat, "How hot are those hot spring fumaroles nowadays?" Sulphurous gasses was something he understood from Potions, how hot water could be a sign was less clear.

"You have hot springs and fumaroles, mister. But both are hot." Mikhail smiled widely, "And toxic. But not too hot."

The brother wanted to ask another question, but Draco interrupted, "Not hot enough for an eruption?"

"No, mister. Don't be alarmed, these mini earthquakes are a routine occurrence. I don't expect your trip today to be cut short by an unexpected eruption." The guide chuckled, amused. The rest responded with nervous smiles. "Are there any other questions?"

Hermione had a few more, but Draco's discomfort made her reconsider. She bought a book from one of the volcanologists hoping to find her answers there. The tour guide didn't even need to gather the group, it was as if everyone wished to leave the place as fast as possible.

Their next stop was at the Japanese Submarine Base Tunnels. Built beneath the town of Rabaul to protect their base against the air bombardments from the Allied Forces, the series of tunnels housed facilities like hospitals, barracks, storehouses and command centres. They walked through white, painted concrete bunkers. All the while their tour guide described how it was linked to other tunnels hewn from the existing rock formation, or even crude structures supported by palm beams. Quite impressive in its own right.

"Remember Pearl Harbour, Draco?" Hermione remembered him of their visit to Hawaii's War Memorial. "What I told you about the Japanese involvement? Well, these tunnels are connected to the same Pacific war."

"They weren't stupid, at least. Those Japanese people could move around without risking being blown up. Look at some of these walls, I guess some are high as the ceiling of the Potions room, if not higher." They stood back outside, walking between the old remains of Japanese war weapons and half-destroyed bombers.

Their guide, Micheline, elaborated, "More than 170,000 soldiers were found here alive and well despite the extensive rain of bombs dropped over these grounds. It's estimated to have been more than twenty-thousand five hundred tons - all of them surviving because of this ingenious network of tunnels. Everything was housed within these walls, which is a total estimate between the five-hundred to eight-hundred kilometres of tunnel."

Hermione recognised the passionate way of explaining things, this woman was a guide who loved her job. The numbers Micheline mentioned were impressive. Nearly the entire group studied the white walls with renewed interest, "There are portions of this network which are four levels high. Some were big enough to allow short U-turns with small aircrafts, you also had HQ's, machines, and as I said already their own hospitals. Between the catacombs of Rome and these tunnels, I doubt which of the two is the longest."

The guide gave them some free time but urged them to return to the bus after ten minutes. As the passengers stepped onto the bus one by one, she handed them a banana to still the hunger. The ride, however, was bumpier than before and Hermione noticed the guide exchanging worried looks with their driver. At a particular moment, the witch was nearly certain the rough travel was increased by a new earthquake. Luckily, Draco was unaware, and the Gryffindor decided to leave him unknowing.

Finally, at their destination, the group left the bus and admired the boiling springs in front of Mount Tavurvur. The boiling springs were ringed by rock dyed orange from the sulfur, while a column of steam rose in the air from its opening. Micheline warned, "Please refrain from dipping in the water. You'll experience severe burn wounds, the water is easily eighty to a hundred degrees celsius, or two-hundred and twelve degrees fahrenheit."

Draco shot picture after picture, glad to have a magical camera at hand and able to capture the steamy pools with the Tavurvur in the background.

"One last warning, please refrain from approaching a fumarole. Those openings you see over there," Micheline pointed out to a tiny heap of rock through which a column of white smoke escaped, resembling the volcano but in miniature shape. "They release steam and toxic gasses like carbon dioxide or other sulphuric fumes. Take your pictures from a distance, if you please."

Draco and Hermione continued to explore the landscape, noticing how one of the hot springs bled into the caldera. True to his Slytherin nature, the blond stretched his hand to feel the heat, on their way back to the group.

"Draco!" Hermione smacked his hand away, "Are you crazy? I can't heal burn wounds with the few potions I brought!" A new smack landed on his body, this time on his shoulder.

"Witch, I'm no Longbottom. I was just feeling out how warm it felt from afar." He snickered but caught her hand mid-air before it stroked for the third time. "It's insanely ho-"

Their conversation was cut short by Micheline, who asked everyone to gather together. "Guys, I think we should get back to the bus." She barely finished speaking, before the ground started to shake violently, the zooming by now familiar to Draco.

"Fuck, Hermione, we need to get out of here." He took her hand and started to run towards the bus, intending to hide behind it and use their fastest way out.

"I know, but we can't Disapparate. We would attract too much attention." In a matter of minutes, the bus was full, ready for departure. The shaking had stopped, but a loud horn was audible.

"This isn't good." The guide commented worriedly. "Folks, I'm hearing your ship blaring. It means that for some reason, it wants to depart ahead of time." Her phone rang, and after a short conversation, she confirmed her suspicions. "The volcanic activity is increasing unexpectedly. The tour operator is calling back all excursions. We need to ge-"

A few women yelled. Just a few feet away from the bus, a smoking rock landed on the ground. Their driver didn't wait for further instructions but took off at high speed down the bumpy road, every passenger bumping up and down in their seats.

"Hermione, I don't want to be roasted alive." Draco held on tightly to the seat in front of him with one arm, while he pulled her tight to him with the other. His breathing sped up as if he had run a marathon out of sheer anxiety.

"We will only attract attention, how will you explain us disappearing. Those two brothers know us by now, for example." Her anxiety wasn't much better. Their bus deviated from the path like a slithering snake, to avoid collision with falling debris; behind her, the Tavurtur spat grey smoke as giant piled mushrooms into the air.

"We'll obliviate them when we have the chance." Draco ducked to pick up his wand from her bag, Hermione through her sunhat over the wooden rod. "Hermione!"

"WE CAN'T!?" A few heads turned her way, surprised by the rise in her voice. Blushing, she bowed her head, covering her eyes with a hand. Hermione seethed in a lower tone, "Which part of drawing attention, don't you understand?"

A rock fragment landed really close to their window, and she shrieked, grabbing a cursing Draco by his shirt.

The driver took a sharp turn and caused almost all passengers from the right side to fall into the aisle. The wizard prevented a collision with his neighbour just in time, holding tight to the seat in front of him. His core strength was tested to its maximum, the turn threw Hermione onto his lap. He grunted, "How much longer?" Grunting, he pulled himself back straight in the seat and set his witch back on hers.

"I see the harbour." Their driver forwent his usual defensive driving style and ignored all the traffic signs using even one-way streets as shortcuts. His brakes screeched when he struck them hard at the entrance of the Arcadia, opening the doors nearly immediately. The panicked group almost trampled over each other on the way out, Hermione using the confusion to _disapparate_ the two into the hallway of the ship.

The wizard caught her hand and ran towards their usual stop at the nose of the ship, "Hermione, the city will be harmed if we don't do anything. That grey cloud is gaining speed at a frightening pace."

She cast a silent notice-me-not followed by a _muffliato_ , "We could try a _protego maxima_ , but will it form a barrier wide enough?"

Draco didn't respond. He simply accioed his wand and pointed at the centre of the village, screaming from the top of his lungs, " _Protego Maxima."_

Next to him, Hermione added " _Fianto duri."_ The wizard scrunched his face, confused, "Flitwick used it to fortify the shielding charm, making it last longer."

Their efforts paid off on short notice, the pyroclastic flow cloud somehow split in two and continued its destructive path around Rabaul's village. In the meantime, both wizard and witch renewed their spells, temporarily brought out of focus by a jerking Arcadia set in motion.

In the distance, an orange river appeared at the mouth of Mount Tavurvur, "Look, the lava is coming."

"Can our shields stop that?" Draco's stretched finger pointed towards the fiery stream. For some reason, the Slytherin had the feeling he was fighting a mighty adversary.

"Not for long, but at least we're buying them some time to evacuate." The witch lamented between the recasting of her spell. Each time, a sliver of silver joined a nearly invisible wall surrounding Rabaul's outlines. At the same time, she saw people gather in busses and cars to escape the imminent inferno.

Renewing their disillusionment charm, Draco pointed his wand towards the sky deck of the Arcadia and cast a _protego maxima_ over their vessel, followed by Hermione's _Fianto Duri._ The blond shrugged, "Just in case."

Proud of his quick thinking, his witch pecked him on the lips, "Good call."

-oOo-

It seemed an eternity, but the Arcadia gained speed, leaving behind a lava-spitting mountain. Strangely enough, the orange flow split in two and created a two-forked stream around the village. The captain issued a ship-wide announcement that all passengers were accounted for and no casualties had been reported. However, they couldn't explain the dispersing cloud that spread all over the caldera except the village. Several experts were looking for a reason, but it remained a mystery.

"We might get our arses kicked for this intervention, love, but I don't regret giving those residents the time to escape." Draco chuckled with a smug demeanour. He knew he hadn't breached the Wizarding Secrecy Act, nobody saw them perform magic, and their actions saved lives. He leaned over the rail, watching the passengers below their balcony wander, discussing the exciting episode

"We won't," Leaning onto him, arm laced over his, Hermione spoke with determination, thinking about appropriate measures if Shacklebolt would dare to condemn them for their actions. The witch nudged her wizard, "Have you noticed something?"

"What?"

"Together, we are a force to be reckoned with." She bit her lip, scrunching her cheeks into a giddy smile.

"Want to test that power inside?" Holding her hands in his grip, he pulled her inside, throwing her mercilessly on the bed. While he pulled her clothing off a piece at the time and kissed the naked skin, he couldn't stop revelling in how much he actually enjoyed performing magic with her at his side.

* * *

 **A.N.:**

One: Facts: The eruption I describe here is completely fictional. Mount Tavurvur is one the most active volcanos from the Papua New Guinea region, but I'm writing this story in 2003 and its eruptions were in 1994 and 2006. The eruption of '94 is correctly described as a duo eruption from both volcanoes one hour apart from each. Yet, aside from material damage, only five people died. Plus they had 19 hours of warning compared to my fictional no warning at all. Keep it in mind, I reserve the right to bend some details for creative purposes, as long as I don't rape the truth about very important historical facts.

Two: I don't deserve you, my dear readers. My writing muse simply abandoned me since the last update, while I knew what I wanted to write. Now with our involuntary isolation, I'm forcing myself back on the horse. To give everyone some entertainment and me something to do. I can't thank you enough for your patience and forgiveness.

Last: There are four sea days ahead, the next port is Kagoshima, Japan followed by Nagasaki, and I'm always happy to receive some ideas for these boring sea days. And yes, Japan has many volcanoes, but I have taunted Draco enough with hot lava, don't you think? Many gratitude and love to you, take care of yourself and your loved ones.

I'm on Twitter too, come say hello to me: **Ruthy4VrSmoaked-Solo**


	48. Day Fifty-Five and Fifty-Six

**Day Fifty-Five and Fifty-Six**

*Day Fifty-Five*

Hermione woke up to an empty bed, the draperies waving with the soft breeze of the early morning. She found her wizard in his boxers, stretched out over the sunbed heavily leafing through their cruise book. A steamy cup of black coffee rested on the table next to him.

"What are you searching for?" Too lazy to make her own cup, her sight was still foggy, she sipped from the brew. Draco had mastered the art of making instant coffee by now.

He lifted an eyebrow at her audacity, "I'm looking for other ports with volcanoes. I won't be getting off at those." He took the mug from her grip and drank, silently defying her again to steal his hot beverage. The wind played with her messy curls and with the sun adding a golden layer to her brown tones, he also drank in the sight she formed dressed in her camisole and shorts, barefoot.

"Chicken," Huffing, Hermione went inside, heated her water with a flick of her wand and added some of the instant coffee. She returned to the balcony while stirring the dash of milk she had poured in at the last minute.

Draco lifted his legs so she could sit, resting his calves on her lap soon after. Hermione informed him, "Well, we're visiting Kagoshima, and there's two not far from it, the Kirishima and the Sakurajima. Then you have the Unzen Mountain at a distance from Nagasaki, the port we're visiting after Kagoshima."

"We're staying inside. I don't want to run for my life again." He closed the book with a bang, "Don't give me that face, did you enjoy the panic of having grey smoke hunting that perky arse of yours? It didn't want to feel how soft your skin is." Draco kept his features as stern as possible, but the twitch around the corners of his mouth sold him out. He stretched his hand, "What? Go on, laugh at me, please don't stop."

"You're adorable, you know that?" His witch crawled over his chest until her face was at the same level. "You are right, that was far from an experience I want to repeat. My father told me about the Pacific Ring of Fire, almost like an arc where many volcanoes are formed. He called it the Pacific Ring of Fire or Pacific Rim. The majority of the volcanoes are here."

"My father knows dark spells, dark potions and nothing about volcanoes. I bet he doesn't even know what those are." Lucius Malfoy's concern was limited to his wizarding society. He had visited the Egyptian Pyramids just because they hold a trace of ancient magic, his parents' travels always had something to do with wizardry.

"Listen, I believe they will be reaching out to the Japanese authorities to ensure their volcanoes are dormant at the moment. I can't imagine they will risk an evacuation again." Hermione accio'ed the day's programming. "Hey, Draco, they are doing a stargazing event tomorrow night. Do you want to do it?"

"Only to see if they are as good of astronomers as I am." He hadn't gazed at the night sky yet, while it was one of his interests. He thought that he should take advantage of open seas to watch the universe from his navigating position. He looked at the schedule, "I also spot a tango lesson today."

"Tango eh?" Her stomach growled, and she giggled, "Can we have breakfast first?"

"Let's feed my fiancee first." He sat the brunette on her feet, swatted her behind and pushed her inside before him, "I can't have my woman hungry."

-oOo-

Alejandro welcomed his gathering for the day with a joyful _Como están?_ To Draco's annoyance, he saw Nicholai join the group with an older lady at his arm.

"Play nice, Draco. Don't let this be a tennis-lesson repeat." Hermione gave him her best version of begging eyes. Eyeing the woman from head to toe, the Gryffindor felt underdressed somehow despite her fitted blue dress. The lady at the Viking's arm wore a skintight red dress covered in sequins and walked around in high heels that Hermione couldn't wear without a decent softening spell.

"Her tits are the excellent work of a healer," Draco caught her despondent look and guessed immediately where the shoe pinched. "Those don't jiggle. I choose your natural beauty."

"Is the jiggling your test?" An incredulous line formed between her eyebrows.

"Blaise taught me how to spot the real deal." It had been a while since he thought about his Slytherin brother, but the smug feeling returned quickly. "Your bosom is perfect, and believe me," for that last bit, he leaned closer to her ear, "they jiggle."

Her comeback was muted by Alejandro's handclap demanding attention. She threw Draco a silent promise with a raised eyebrow and pursed lips, some jiggling activity would absolutely follow later. Nevertheless, the blond's praising comments about her figure lightened her mood considerably. Feeling a lot more confident, she paid close attention to the eight basic steps of tango.

Draco's talent for ballroom dances put his skill for clip dancing to shame. He caught up quickly when he needed to guide her between the slow and the quick steps. Dancing on the outer side before joining his feet together and letting Hermione elegantly cross her foot halfway into eight-count basic step.

"Now pay attention to this variation called the _molinete_ , one of the passionate moves a woman can do circling her partner." Alejandro broke down the steps with his assistant Marta, showing how the woman circulated around the partner in a series of crossing feet and stepping wide to the side. At the same time, the man pivoted on his axis holding his partner's hand. The first attempts had Hermione biting her lip entirely focused, ending with the taught _ocho,_ a traced figure-eight.

"Relax, Hermione." She was so tense in Draco's arms that dancing didn't come as fluid as it was meant to be. He stopped, shook her arms to break the tension and returned to his starting position, holding her tight against his chest, "Think about the way you'll show me your jiggling tits tonight."

Her eyes widened, the blush rising over her skin in a matter of seconds, "Draco!' She seethed, looking left and right.

"Tango is about passion, love. Passion and play for dominance." He dared her while guiding her through the basic steps. "We are seducing each other, a step at a time. Right now, you'll circle around me, tempting me with your hip work, your elegant legs stepping wide, ankles crossing enticingly. Those little figure-eights allure me into throwing you over my shoulder to have my way with your pussy in our room."

His voice could seduce a eunuch. Unaware, she danced as he described it, the glint in her eyes, a silent evidence of how much his descriptions affected her. When Alejandro started _Objection_ from Shakira, everything blurred around Hermione. Nicholai and his partner whose skirt swirled widely around, forcing others to step aside. Every other couple, even their instructor and his assistant melted away.

The only thing the Gryffindor focussed on was her fiance. His hypnotising steel-grey gaze fixed on her. The caressing hand rubbing over her behind possessively. He retreated the first two steps, then advanced as a dangerous dragon entering her personal space without asking permission. Ceasing his conquest, she swirled around his axis, subconsciously stretching the leg and tip of her foot at every open step. Their breath quickened but not from exertion. The stakes of their game were raised, the fluttering of her _ocho_ adding decadent ideas to the long list of erotic things Draco already planned ahead.

He took control and advanced one more step, stepping aside next and retreating to their starting position. Yet, before he could start a new sequence, Hermione used the bridge in the seductive song to rub her calf over his leg. Shakira's song lasted too long or perhaps not long enough. Somehow, his witch unleashed her alluring side, and he revelled in the sight.

It was no surprise to the witch to feel whisked to a secluded area and sense the familiar spin of _Apparition_ , landing in their room seconds later, "Ooh."

He advanced with deliberate steps, forcing her to retreat likewise until her knees hit the bed. "I'll buy you a new dress." His patience cracked, and his wand vanished her clothes, underwear included, "And knickers."

Tangled in each other, they fell on the mattress. Draco's fingers sought her entrance and penetrated her slick walls, scissoring within her core before his cock's invasion. His mouth closed around her breast and sucked hard on a tight nipple, Hermione gasping helplessly.

Draco lost his patience, he traded the fingers for his hardness, groaning as her warmth enveloped his member, "You feel so hot around my cock, witch." Hermione wrapped her legs around his waist, pressing him tighter against her body. Her fingers raked through his blond tresses, her teeth bit lightly wherever they could find skin.

Suddenly, he sat on his hinges, taking her along, shifting her legs around into a straddling position. His hands pressed her shoulders down, his waist pumped powerfully upwards, reaching deep inside her. "Right there, Draco…" Hermione moaned.

Draco's complexion took a red tone, trails of sweat running down his temples, "I want to see you cum for me." His grey eyes took in every detail of her face, the blush on her cheeks, how her eyelids closed, surrendering to each tingle his cock caused inside her walls. Her spread lips let small puffs of air escape, the air that he breathed in with delight as he lightly pressed with his own lips. Tongues played hide-and-seek, avoiding playful teeth.

He felt her at the edge of the precipice. Expertly, he inserted his thumb between their bodies and drew determined eights.

"DRACO." Hermione's arms clenched around his shoulders just like her thighs around his waist as it all crashed down together into a whirlwind of fire. Hermione threw her head back, groaning aloud, Draco pressing short pecks on the extended neck. Her squeezing pussy pushed him over the edge. He bit her on the shoulder as he rammed fiercely upwards to fill her womb with his cum as deep as he could.

They shared a silent moment where their gazes fixed on each other, chests rising quickly up and down seeking a way to calm their breaths. Featherlight fingers traced his cheekbones, caressing the face she loved so much. It ended in a tight intimate embrace, where words are superfluous but touches spoke the loudest.

In the morning, she wouldn't recall how she ended up asleep. Her last memory was of laying her head against Draco's shoulder warmed by his skin.

-oOo-

*Day Fifty-Six*

A group of twenty people gathered at the front of the sky deck, right above the nose where reclining chairs were set up by the three staff members who would guide this stargazing workshop. It was after nine p.m. the dark sky was filled with white dots, some brighter than others.

"Hey, Hermione!" Louise encircled the witch in a tight hug, "I'm so glad to see you here too."

"Hi Louise, Terry." The older man simply kissed the brunette on the cheek, before shaking hands with the blond. "You like astronomy too, Louise?"

"Just happy to have an activity outdoors at night that doesn't involve booze and loud Margaret giggles." The older woman giggled behind a hand. "Care to join us?"

Draco and Terry had already sought out four chairs, waving the women over to them. Each man also had a drink waiting in their hands.

Soon the entire gathering went silent and listened to the staff member who had the most stripes on the pad attached to the shoulders of his navy polo shirt.

"Welcome to this stargazing night, we'll try to locate some of the constellations we can watch from our position. Unfortunately, we're below the Equator, so the north star isn't visible from here."

The man amateurishly tried to locate the _Crux_ with the help of his compass and a flashlight. One older passenger suggested, "If you turned down the majority of the lights for a moment, we'd be able to see more. Plus your torchlight isn't helping." Embarrassed, the man called out to the captain. Some of the lights were dimmed, but it didn't darken the area much. The staff member returned to his prepared speech, using a laser penlight to point out the desired locations.

"This tosser should have done his homework beforehand." Draco frowned deeply with discontent. He whispered, "Can you transfigure my glass into a similar red pointy thing?" In a matter of seconds, he held a penlight just like the other man. "Thank you, love." The wizard peered into the sky and positioned his focus on the southern position he heard the staff member mumble.

From there, he quickly spotted the bright stars he knew as the Alpha and Beta Centauri, "Well, do you see those two bright stars that easily form a line?" The light beam aided by a whispered spell to increase the ghostly lining. "From there, you can draw a line, and it leads you to the small crossing arm of the _Crux._ It's also called the Southern Cross."

Draco attracted Terry's attention also, who urged Louise to inch closer and listen to the obviously more knowledgeable of the two guides. The wizard continued, "Form a shape of a kite, and the end of the tail points you towards the astronomical South Pole. There's no South Pole star like the _Polaris_."

In the distance, the staff member was switching pages in search of the image for better instructions. It was clear that the man had zero experience and was also unaware that the majority of the group now surrounded the Hogwarts couple instead.

In the meantime, Draco sought and found his favourite constellation, the one who shared his name. "See how I'm drawing a dragon if you use some of your imagination to see it?"

"Are you showing me Draco?" At this point, the pair had pushed the chairs against each other, enough for Hermione to rest her head on his shoulder. "How come you know so much?"

"My mother's side has the tradition of naming their children after constellations. It has always fascinated me, and my father bought me a telescope so I could find them easier." He kept drawing a loose dragon figure with a small head and a tail curled into an S-shape. "Oh, cool I found the Cygnus, see it looks like a bird with open wings."

Draco kept looking around, cursing the tall stacks at the back of the ship interfering with their vision. "I can spot Lyra too, the small kite-shaped constellation. The little tail has a very bright star, see? That's the Vega star. One of the brightest stars in the sky and with time the new Polaris when the North Star fades away."

"Where's the telescope now?" She found Draco fascinating as he passionately elaborated further.

He answered, distracted, "At the Manor, I have the best conditions there, open fields with not many trees around."

Hermione winced, "Ah. I guess you can apparate me into those fields so you can show me more about all of this."

"You like Astronomy too?" He blinked, surprised.

"I like to hear you explain all of this to me."

Terry interrupted, "Son, I'm happy to be seated next to you. That clown is worthless at this astronomy thing. I think they should hire an expert for this workshop or not do this again. It's useless and embarrassing."

Draco's chest puffed proudly, he still wasn't used to receiving praise from people older than his father. On a roll, he shared some interesting facts, "Do you know that the word constellation comes from Latin and means set with stars. Oh, and remember the first I showed you? The Crux? That's the smallest of them, the biggest is Hydra." The wizard spoke with broad gestures, happy to find people who were actually enjoying what he told them.

He realised a few hours later how much he would miss the grandpas once they arrived in Southampton. Hermione lightly snored against his shoulder and Draco's finger traced doodles on the bare skin that peeked from under her sleep shirt.

Before he fell asleep, Draco wondered if there was a way to keep in touch with them. Hermione would know the answer.

* * *

 **A.N.:**

I loved the numerous response I received to the last chapter, we are clearly hungry for reading material during this dreary period. It urged me to write faster and somehow find the pleasure again, who knew?

My gratitude goes to my dear Magzillasaurus, I kinda pressured her to beta this chapter faster, not so sweet from me... sorry, love. Anyway, I'm not going to wait a week until I publish this, I'll put out the others as fast as I can write them. If my writing is a source of some joyful time, then it's my duty to contribute in these dark days.

Also, kudos to all those who sent me suggestions for sea day activities. If you don't see your ideas appear soon, don't worry, I still have plenty of sea days ahead, I'll use them. I saved them for later lol.

Take care of yourself and your loved ones. Together we'll beat the monster.

Love, Ruthy

PS: come and say hi to me on Twitter: Ruthy4vrSmoaked-Solo


	49. Day Fifty-Seven

**If you're a fan of whisky, have a drink while reading this chapter.**

 **Thank you Magzillasaurus for cleaning up my chapter and thank you reader Tudorwench for the whisky tasting suggestion.** **Take care!**

* * *

 **Day Fifty-Seven**

Hermione was in paradise.

Stretched over a sunbed, the sun heated her thighs and back, both well rubbed with sun cream, courtesy of her fiancé who took care of the job tantalisingly slowly. Her hair was shoved to the side, drying after a beneficial swim. It was curling the only way it did when it was the sun who did the job. The wavy type, as she loved the most.

Speaking of her fiancé, he was enjoying a thriller he borrowed from the library, stretched next to her. His hair had dried long ago, into the opposite of his well-kept hairstyle. Rather the look after you stood in a tornado, pointing everywhere. But Hermione was not planning on warning him about it. No, she kinda liked this unkept version of his, definitely since he hadn't shaved in days and had this light blond stubble around his jaw.

Between them was a little table with a colourful cocktail and small ditto umbrella stabbing a slice of lemon.

"Are you enjoying your book?" She raised her face from the headrest just long enough to ask her question.

"This Leonard Vole killed the old lady, all evidence points to him." His nose was buried inside _Witness for the Prosecution,_ written by Agatha Christie.

"Are you sure? His wife says he was at home." Hermione had read the book herself and loved how the whole plot rolled out.

"His wife is lying to protect him. Don't tell me you won't protect me once we're married?" He side-eyed her for a second, before returning his attention to the book and turning the next page. "Has this Agatha woman written many books?"

"She's a master in the whodunnit genre. I love that one and Mousetrap also, I saw it in the library." She twisted in her seat, grabbing blindly after her shades.

"I'm reading that one next." Draco sipped from his fruity cocktail.

"Would I lie for you?" She reflected on his question.

"Hmm?" He was so engrossed in the plot he barely heard her talking.

"Would I lie for you?"

"Well, yes. Would you lie to save me?" He closed the book, marking the page with a finger.

"If you kill someone, no. I will not support you in any illegal activities." It went against her integrity, no matter who he was to her.

"Let us say, my mother wants to know how much I paid for the mask, and I say that I don't remember, which is a lie…" It was an innocent question.

"Oh, in that case? Yes, I'll say you're telling the truth." _Who didn't lie once in a while for a good cause?_ "Would you do it in return?"

"Only if I get something in return, like a lifetime replenishment of chocolate. The services of a Slytherin like me require payment." He told her with a deadpan expression. Nearly immediately, a shower of sweet cocktail drops was thrown at his face. "Hey!"

"You git!"

"Tit for tat, love. That's how I operate." He stood up, put away his book and walked towards her to kiss her lips. "Let's swim some more."

"DRACO!" Nearly everyone turned their heads towards the noise.

"Is it too late to escape, Hermione?" He gritted lowly.

She whispered back, "I'm afraid Margaret found us!"

"Oh, Draco, hello stud."

The wizard deadpanned again, unused to being called that by a lady old enough to be his grandmother and especially when said lady was accompanied by her husband. Hermione giggled at his expense.

"Don't mind my wife, I forgot to give her her meds this morning." Henry extended a hand but nearly got thrown into the pool when Margaret hit him in retaliation. The men shook hands, chuckling heartily. "We were on our way to a whisky tasting workshop at the Rising Sun pub. I saw you and wondered if you would like to join us."

"Whisky tasting?" Draco often enjoyed an excellent scotch, but he also recognised that he wasn't a heavy drinker either.

"It's sample tasting with the elaboration of how they brew the drink. You won't get drunk from the low amounts they pour." Henry soothed the panicked look on the witch's face.

"I haven't forgotten the last time he indulged in the Guinness beers." They both laughed, though it did remind the young couple of what led to that precise occasion. "Well, this time, I'm coming too, to monitor his alcohol consumption."

"You mean that you want to see which of us two gets pissed first, eh?" He couldn't let her swotiness win the best of him.

"You read me perfectly." She gathered their stuff, hoisting the bag over her shoulder, "We'll meet you in ten, Margaret?"

-oOo-

The piano bar on the promenade deck felt like an authentic British pub with a picture of Winston Churchill and several vintage mirror frames on the light wood walls and wooden furniture, plus old-fashioned desk lamps with fabric shades adding a low, warm glow to the interior. It looked like the pubs she hadn't been allowed to enter due to her age but wished she could, if only to breathe in the true British pub culture.

The round tables were set up in a circle, already ready to welcome the guests. At each spot, a collection of five whisky glasses, shaped like elongated sherry glasses with a stubby stem so you could swirl with ease. Each drink was numbered and contained a bottom of caramel brown coloured liquid.

Margaret was already waving widely from her seat, commanding Henry to add a second table to their group. "Alright, Margaret, they are here. Sit down." Despite the effort, everyone and their cat knew where they sat. In other words, the usual display. The older man raised the table next to theirs with the help of his comrades carefully. They moved at baby-steps pace to avoid spilling the valuable drink.

"Are we here for another margarita event?" Hermione had such deja vu to an earlier activity. She sat next to the woman, Draco to her left, disrupting the man and woman sequence. He didn't trust the woman near him, especially if she had a little too much to drink.

"Unfortunately, we're not learning the jive today, nor the quickstep," Louise smirked at Margaret's despondent tone, "Maybe for our husbands, perhaps it's the best."

"Welcome, I'm Henry and will be your host to introduce you to the world of whisky tasting." The barman kicked off the activity with charm.

"Henry, he's also a Henry." Said husband wished he could sink into the ground out of embarrassment. The rest simply sighed, already familiar with their loud friend.

"My hearing aid is working just fine, darling. No need to parrot things." Draco shared a knowing look with the man and hid his smirk behind a hand. Margaret huffed, crossed her arms at the chest and sulked.

The barman continued, "The whisky term derives originally from the Gaelic word _uisge beatha_ , meaning 'water of life'. Scottish call it whisky, Irishmen call it Whiskey and use a different process to make and distil their water of life. Today we're focusing on the Scottish whisky."

"Those Irish are always a pain in the arse, love to be adverse." Draco didn't need to look to know who spoke for the entire room. He had sniffed one of the glasses while sitting and was eager to let it swirl in his mouth. Typically, you were expected to spit them out, but he was going to swallow every sample. They had enough sober-up potions in the room, replenished during their Australia visit.

The barman Peter, proceeded undisturbed, "The earliest distilled whisky known to date was extracted in the fifteen century by the monks, but it could have been long before that too. The origins got lost in the mists of antiquity, unfortunately." It was silent around the room, Margaret pouting again. "The process starts at the malting, where you must use barley of the best quality, steep the grain in water and spread it out on malting floors to germinate."

Hermione noticed how Draco was paying close attention. Yet, already foreseeing this to be a satisfying future hobby for him, she faked a search in her bag and whispered the cast to set a self-writing quill at work.

"...The dried malt is ground into a coarse flour or grist, which is mixed with hot water…" She traded glances with Louise and Helen, grinning at Margaret's pouting face, which was hilarious to watch. The barman didn't faulter, "The water is added in three stages and hotter at each stage. ...after about two days, the fermentation dies down, and the wash contains six to eight per cent of alcohol… after that, the wash is distilled twice and the distillate from the wash still, known as low wines, and containing about 20% alcohol by volume, then goes to the spirit still for the second distillation."

Hermione covered a yawn behind a hand, Draco side-eyeing the apparent lack of interest. Luckily for the witch, the tedious part was finally finished. Peter, the barman, placed a bottle of whisky behind each corresponding number. "Now we will learn how to taste and nose a whisky."

Draco perked at the prospect, sitting straighter on his chair.

"The first glass contains a sample of Aberfeldy, a Highland Single Malt whisky,16 years old, finished in sherry casks." The man grabbed glass number one, "Give your glass a swirl to release the aromas into the air. Then, bring your nose to the glass and sniff."

The entire group sniffed loudly, Helen coughed. "Ah, this madam has been affected by alcoholic strength. I suggest you don't insert your nose deep inside the glass but sniff from a slight distance." The barman looked around and continued, "Do you smell the fruitcake and the dark chocolate notes in our whisky?"

Hermione sniffed again and looked at Draco, scrunching her face, "Can't you smell it, Hermione?" She shook her head, and he grinned at her softness all over his features, "Ah, my lovely swot, I beat you for once at something. I do smell the chocolate."

The barman suggested, "Sip a little from your glass, let the brown liquid swirl inside your mouth. Tell me what your senses are telling you."

Terry started, "I taste a spicy flavour."

"Perfect," the barman rubbed his hands, "What else do you taste? Anybody?"

Draco added, "Its sweet, I taste dried fruits."

"And your lovely lady?" The man looked at Hermione.

To her, the liquid burned on her tongue. Beyond a sweet taste, she couldn't detect any distinctive flavours. "I agree with Draco, dried fruits and sweet."

Absolutely not fooled by her opinion, he smirked again, the corner of his mouth rising into a knowing smile.

"Perfect, now I suggest you add a little water to your whisky. By diluting your drink, you can open the taste further and discover more about its constituent parts."

Draco added barely anything, while Hermione poured a healthy amount. He hummed appraisingly, "Henry, this one is lavishly sweet."

"I agree, son. I like this one." The older man drank the last bit of his glass, taking a sip of water soon after to rinse the aftertaste.

The barman paused briefly before moving on to the second, "Please note how the aftertaste of your first sample lingers. Do you discover a new taste or is the finish short-lived? A perfect whisky's finish lingers for a long time and is smooth. Now rinse your mouth and repeat every motion for the second taste."

This time Peter offered no guidance but simply watched everyone swirl his glass, sniff carefully and taste the sample. "You're savouring a twelve-year-old AnCnoc, also a Highland Single Malt, though this whisky is light and complex at the same time. The experts say this is one of the must-haves within any self-respecting collection." He looked around his audience for dramatic purposes.

Donald spoke, "He smells sweet, aromatic maybe with a hint of lemon? Possibly even a touch of honey?"

The barman nodded happily. Draco concurred with the assessment with a nod. Once again, Hermione sniffed and smelled, rose an eyebrow and shrugged in defeat. Her nose wasn't her best friend for tastings.

"Sip it, love. This one tastes soft." Draco whispered.

"Let me guess, you're also savouring sweetness?" Margaret grinned at Hermione's cheeky comeback.

"Darling, these men are tasting floral in this drink," Margaret flexed her fingers as parenthesis, "And I'm wondering since when do they know the taste of flowers?" Draco nodded in agreement, a little against his will.

"I do taste fresh fruits, Margaret." The wizard retributed. Imitating the barman's posture, Draco diluted his sample with a minimal amount of water. He looked at Peter and concluded, "The finish is long and smooth. I'll be buying one of these bottles for my collection."

"Do you have a whisky collection?" Hermione threw him a glare, openly questioning if he owned anything else beyond Ogden's finest.

"I'm starting one after this cruise." He gave her a quick once-over, old Draco Malfoy-style. Knowing that Blaise and Theo were his usual drinking mates, he foresaw converting the two Slytherin wizards easily into degustating muggle whisky. Perhaps even his father, who enjoyed a good glass of champagne. Hermione huffed at the high and mighty display.

"The third sample is a Lowland single malt whisky this time, Auchentoshan. It's triple distilled then matured for over twelve years. I wonder what you discover of the aromas."

Hermione pretended to sniff, by now used to not registering any particular scent and waited until someone else started to sip. The burning feeling on her tongue didn't affect her any longer. At the same time, she accepted her inability to distinguish any special flavours like Draco. Instead, she started to enjoy the sweetness on the tongue.

While Louisa and Helen tasted and debated whatever their opinion was with their significant other, Hermione listened to Draco's description. Margaret was the only other person in her closest vicinity that drank for fun, perhaps a tad faster than was advised. By now, the witch felt her cheeks warming up, and it was evident that it wasn't because of the sunlight.

"This one tastes like toffee." Draco decided not to distil this one but enjoy the sweetness, "Like toffee apples." The way his tongue licked his lips caught the attention of his witch.

Her interest spiked suddenly, and she rolled the drink a bit longer inside her mouth. Unexpectedly, the lavishly sweet taste evoked a far-away happy memory of Christmas at Harry's place and Molly's toffee apples. Hermione cheered loudly, "Finally, I can taste it too." She threw a fist in the air.

The barman glared, and she amended her statement quickly, "I mean that I finally can taste it well. It's like Christmas sweets, toffee apples and toasted almonds?" She suggested with a pleading tone. The man appraised brightly.

Draco studied Hermione's face. She sported visibly red cheeks and a slight glaze on her eyes, _haha, my little swot will need a potion._ Henry exchanged a knowing look with the blond, silently pointing out the state of his own wife. Both men shook their heads. The man was clearly concluding the same about his wife, laughing louder than all the rest.

The Glen Scotia that followed, a fifteen-year-old Campbeltown Malt Whisky was a fourth taste that delighted Draco's palate. The spicy taste of this sample, which also carried an oaky aftertaste, was the type of drink the blond might enjoy during one of those late summer nights, watching the sunset after a good flight on his Firebolt. At his left, his witch simply drank the sample in two sips.

"Love, you have to taste, not drink it like water." He wondered if he could sneakily lower the amount of the last glass. His Hermione was everything but a heavy drinker, the lack of anything to eat in between, one of the most significant faults of today's workshop.

He received help from an unexpected ally. Helen held the attention of Hermione long enough for Draco to pour a considerable portion of the fifth sample onto his glass. After, he diluted the remaining fluid with an even larger amount of water. He nodded in gratitude. Alas, when Henry tried to copy Draco's move, Margaret caught him red-handed, reclaimed her glass and finished the whisky in one go. "Oops, I shouldn't have done it." She ran to the ladies room with Louise in her tail, making it barely to the toilet going by the sounds.

Terry assessed, "Next time, if there's alcohol involved, don't bring your wife, Henry."

"As if I can make that woman stay anywhere against her will." The older husband rose his shoulders in defeat.

"Spoil her at a spa treatment, strategically booked at the same time, mate," Donald suggested.

"What did you do three days ago, while I was at the spa courtesy of my other half?" Helen looked sternly at her husband. He had offered her the treatment at an odd moment but didn't ask for any reason. The guilty look on her husband's face raised her suspicion immediately.

"Nothing." He faltered.

Draco followed the interlude with much interest, seeing how the grandpas didn't get away so quickly. Clearly, he wasn't the only one who couldn't talk his way out of everything.

"Donald Hemsforth, where were you three days ago while I was getting a massage?" Helen never noticed how the entire group followed the exchange silently. But Draco did see that a few men looked compassionately at Donald. Birds do flock together.

"The casino?" The husband blinked, scrunching his blushing cheeks. After four samples of whisky and the booze he and his buddy's had already consumed beforehand, he didn't know how to lie his arse off.

Draco was having a silent blast, lips pursed into a smirk behind his hand. Yet, he was learning how not to lie to his witch. Donald's biggest luck was Helen's lack of wizarding powers. In Hermione's case, his behind would probably be burned after a barrage of jinxes.

Helen might not know how to handle a wand, but her hand swatted Donald's head in retaliation, "How much money did you gamble away this time?"

-oOo-

Draco never bothered closing the draperies after stretching out next to his witch. The night sky was bright, and the twinkling stars danced a magical dance. The whisky workshop had ended long ago, with a red Donald admitting to his wife that he lost a thousand pounds in the space of two hours.

It had taken quite a lot of persuasion before his drunk witch emptied a vial of pepper-up potion. She was more interested in undressing him quickly - Salazar knew how many times he had to evade her probing hands. But his efforts paid off, and soon she fell asleep snoring loudly.

He drank a vial to be on the safe side. That last double sample, a BenRiach twenty-two years aged in a bourbon whisky barrel increased his lightly inebriated state, the smokey and fruity taste lingering on the tongue longer than all others.

Before stretching out next to his witch, he took care of his hardness. Escaping Hermione's hands didn't mean that he was immune to her intentions.

He went through the notes her self-writing quill took. Here and there, he added some of his own thoughts for a future whisky collection. Something he aspired to create in the home he planned to have with Hermione.

For a moment, he wished the cruise to end soon, eager to start somewhere new with her. But for now, he rubbed his naked belly with his free hand while remembering the entire day. The other arm was circled around his witch, a finger drawing circled on her bare shoulder.

Tasting whisky with his woman was fun, but he would watch over the amount she consumed like a hawk. Clearly, she was a lightweight in this drinking matter.

* * *

 **A.N:**

link for the whisky store: scotchwhiskyexperience co uk

Come say hi to me on Twitter Ruthy4VrSmoaked-Solo


	50. Day Fifty-Eight

**warning: excessively sugary fluff ahead and it might end with the need for an ice-cold drink too. Don't say I didn't warn you. Plus, better not read on an empty stomach as well, or if you're in need of a sweet tooth.**

 **My Magzillasaurus has perfected this cheesy chapter for you, my gratitude goes to you, love, xxx.**

* * *

 **Day Fifty-Eight**

"I'm not touching whisky again." Despite the sober-up potion, she still sported the mother of all headaches. "You can have your collection, but I'm keeping my paws away from that sweet water from hell." Turning around onto her belly, she hid her face in the pillow, hoping to escape the rays of sunshine lighting up the room.

Draco pressed against her shoulder to make her shift again, whispering, "My dear swot was a little tipsy yesterday." He snaked an arm behind her back and pulled her into a sitting position. He brought an uncorked vial to her mouth and helped her consume a new dose of sober-up portion. "If I had a cauldron, I would mix you my special blend, which helps against the side effects of drunkenness." Carefully he let her rest against the headboard, pushing a few strands away from her forehead.

His eyes roamed over her face, grinning.

"Don't make fun of me, Draco. It's really not funny at all." She lamented, covering her eyes with a hand.

"It is, you know why? Because my lovely swotty witch is just as human as I am." Draco shifted higher on the bed and cradled her cheek, the thumb rubbing over the cheekbone. "Let's get you under a shower, you'll feel like a completely new human being." He rose to his feet and carried her with an arm behind her knees and shoulder blades.

In no time, he had them undressed and under the spray, using a loofah to scrub her entire body and taking the time to wash her hair, softly scratching her scalp. She leaned onto him and enjoyed the pampering, feeling the headache dissipate into nothing. Draco took the showerhead and let the rain of waterdrops rinse all the suds. His fingers untangled her curls at the same time, soft from the conditioner he applied last.

"Do you want to have a whisky collection?" She asked him with closed eyes. This soft, caring side of her wizard would never get boring.

"If it's okay with you. Turn our library into a cosy place for some rest, while enjoying a good tumbler." He picked a fresh towel from the rack and wrapped it around her frame, using a second to dry off himself with quick motions.

"Not to smoke, I hope." Hermione wrapped her hair in a towel and stepped out of the shower after him. She untucked her towel but was stopped by the blond, who gently used the fabric to dry her off. He walked quickly to the dresser , selected a set of underwear and helped her pull up her knickers. Draco assisted next with the bralette over her head to avoid getting it wet from her hair.

"Only when I'm older than a hundred years, like my grandfather Abraxas." He pecked her on the lips. "Wrinkled, grey-haired, needing a walking stick and degustating a good tumbler of single malt whisky and a good Cuban cigar."

Hermione could see the picture before her eyes. "How old was he?"

"Barely sixty, he died from dragon pox, but you get the idea right?" To her surprise, he kept choosing her clothes for today, selecting a floral sundress and repeating the same motions as with the bralette to dress her up. The lacy hems of her underwear added a nice finishing touch to the entire silhouette that she hadn't thought of. Her wizard had an eye for fashion too.

But he was far from done, apparently. He guided her outside to the balcony, placing a chair in the sunniest part of the deck and sat her down. He unwrapped the towel around her hair and dried the strands. "Well, I can imagine. Do you look like Abraxas?" She closed her eyes and relaxed, he was now using the comb to untangle the points starting from below.

"I'm the very much better-looking version. You're lucky to have the sexiest Malfoy at your side." He told her this drop-dead seriously. "Where do you want to live? In the city or in the countryside?"

"Don't you live in a penthouse now?" She threw back a look at him. The sun was shining bright, and she could feel some parts of her hair dry already. Her belly growled, "I'm getting hungry."

"Are we going downstairs or should I ring for room service?" He felt hungry as well, but taking care of her was primordial.

"Let's go downstairs and choose from the buffet. I don't know what I want to eat." Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck, "You have this sweet side nobody knows about, I love it."

"If you ever say this in public, I'll deny it with everything I've got. I only take care of my witch and any child we're blessed with." His frown advised her not to take his warning in vain. But he did love to take care of her, something he learned from watching his father closely all those years.

"I'm hungry, let's go eat." Instead of heading straight to the front door, she caught his lips first into a sugar-sweet kiss. Slytherins did have a soft side after all.

-oOo-

"You didn't answer my question this morning." Draco devoured a spoonful of chocolate tart with a little from her clotted cream he stole. The theft was followed by a pair of brown eyes and a soft smile. This was a regular occurrence.

"Which one?" They were enjoying afternoon tea at the piano bar. Sitting at a table with a sea view window, courtesy of the Slytherin who cast a confundus to drive out a couple halfway through their own tea break. Hermione noticed it a little too late to intervene.

"Where do you want to live? In the city or in the countryside?" He sipped his herbal tea.

"I thought you lived in a penthouse." She offered him a piece of her orange blossom scone with a dollop of marmalade. On the way back, she claimed a bit of his tart, though he halted her fork to add some of the caramel drizzle.

"I do in London, between the London Bridge and Tower Bridge." He relaxed into his chair, crossing the legs. His plate only contained crumbles. With a slight nod, he requested the attention of a waiter and asked for fresh tea for the two - politely enough to earn brownie points from his witch. "It's close enough to Diagon Ally."

"Tell me more about it." She bet this location had the best view money could buy, though living in an apartment compared to a house didn't appeal to her.

"Well, you can see the Thames and Canary Wharf on the opposite side, the living room and the kitchen blend into an open space, surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows. It's always bathed in sunlight. Three rooms, each room with their own bathroom. Occasionally, Theo stays overnight in the guest room, Blaise and Pansy have their own not far away from mine. It's through them that I found mine. I turned the unused room into my own potions room." He stirred some sugar into his tea.

She added a dash of cream to both teas, "You can't fly."

"True. That's the only reason I floo into the Manor, beyond visiting my mother." A waitress took the plates away, and he paused his answer until the coast was clear. "I haven't forgotten my promise to you, lady. I'll take you on my Firebolt and show you the beauty of Wiltshire after dawn."

"Are you happy in your penthouse? I like my parents' home, but I wouldn't mind living in the countryside, having a garden to tend to." Briefly, she thought of her parents' house in Brisbane, which was so much different than where they used to live. The garden was far bigger for starters.

"Nothing Manor-sized, I hope." That had been one of the red flags about Astoria. How their idea of living arrangements differed so much.

"What do I need twenty bedrooms for? I want to have children with you but not my own quidditch team, don't you even think about it." Draco nodded with pursed lips. If it was up to him, the first would be already on its way. He learned to be patient in the meantime.

"A nice place with three or four bedrooms so we have a free room for a stay-over then?" She agreed with a nod. "A big enough garden for you to tend to and for me to fly and teach our children quidditch?"

She bobbed again, imagining a cottage house, "Room for a library big enough to also house your whisky collection, maybe a pool?"

"Remains one question, where?" Unknowingly, they both had the same design of a house in mind, far from what his Manor looked like.

"The floo connects everyone, so even if it's not close to your parents or Harry's, where it is is less of an issue. I think we need to find a place we both fall in love with and focus less on its location, don't you think?" Draco offered a hand and guided her outside the promenade deck, towards the nose of the ship, "If it turns out to be closer to the Manor and farther away from Harry, then so be it. I want a home, not a house."

Right on the spot, he turned her to him and caught her lips in a searing kiss, shoulders raised as he held her face between his palms. Despite how much he enjoyed discovering the world aboard this ship, he would love to start immediately searching for their home. Above all, to bind his life to hers forever. They still had a little more than thirty days, but damn they felt now like an eternity.

"Draco, I can feel your impatience." She smiled against his lips, also holding his face between her hands. "Consider this our honeymoon, I don't want to travel again so soon after our wedding."

"That was the original intention of this journey for Astoria and me." They were breathing each other's air, unaware of their surroundings.

"Your intention brought you to me. My intention was to escape my reality." She played with his hair, bringing their bodies closer. He was growing hard, and the last thing she wanted, was for people to notice his erection. Nevertheless, she moaned, "Draco..."

"Give me a second." He was breathing hard. Drawing a significant intake of air, he concentrated in casting a wandless disillusionment spell. He disapparated them into their room.

He barely gave her time to breathe, holding her against the wall, his hands made quick work of her panties, shoving them down her legs. The sandals fell with two thumps on the ground. His lips devoured her mouth relentlessly, consuming her moans.

Hermione responded equally, fingers pulling on the buttons of his shorts, pushing down his fly and releasing his hardness; stroking the soft skin with determined movements, coating the head with her slick each time she rubbed it against her entrance.

However, his patience ran thin, and he grabbed his cock, aligned it with her sheath, impaling her in one powerful thrust. His hips started to piston relentlessly, his hands pulling her dress over her head. He aided her to ditch his own polo shirt, her lacy bralette following shortly. Draco winced when he heard a slight tearing sound, but it was the least of his worries.

Her arms wrapped tightly around his shoulders, Hermione covered his face with little nips, bit his lobe and moaned into his ear. The head of his cock was hitting a special place within her heat, and it sent sparks of fire down her spine. Faster than usual, the pressure built inside her core, eager to snap.

Her walls squeezed his length, and the wizard redoubled his efforts, recognising the signs. Draco pounded heady, with short guttural grunts, each palm squeezing a globe; a finger stroking her puckered hole. She screamed her release, squeezing his waist between her legs, the fingers leaving creases on his back.

"I love you, witch." Draco kept pumping through her orgasm, speaking into her mouth. "I love you so much. Ah, fuck." He wanted to last longer, bring her once more over the edge but his body had a mind of its own. He growled, kissed her fierly, thrusting erratically until he was spent.

To his surprise, she had trails of tears on her cheeks. "Did I hurt you?"

"No." She choked on a sob. "I love you too, Draco." Hermione caressed his hair, pushing away sweaty strands. Merlin only knew how many times she had had this thought, but not in a million years could her old-self imagine that this blond wizard would be the one. Passionate, caring, slightly naughty, but her equal in so many points.

He dried her tears with a soft caress. "You didn't know that you would find the love you sought, did you?"

"I was so angry when I saw you first."

Draco carried her to the bed, sitting on the edge carefully before leaning back taking her with him.

"Yes, me too. But I was afraid of you too, you know?" He confessed a thought from that first night, "You had a murderous look in your eyes, for a second I feared that you would confund the captain into helping you kill me and ditch my body over the rail."

She laughed warm and hearty, "You're not wrong. I did think of it."

"Thank Salazar you didn't." Draco exploded into joyous laughter.

"Indeed, thank Merlin, I didn't." She scourgified them, too lazy to grab a washing glove and a towel for the purpose. Stretching, Hermione curled around him, caressing his chest, a flexed leg was thrown over his. The sound of his heartbeat lulled her into sleep. He followed shortly after, the last thing he remembered was a deep intake of blissful air.


	51. Day Sixty

**I hope you enjoyed Easter, as much as I did. Keep hanging in there, together we'll make it!**

 **As always, I'm incredibly thankful for Magzillasaurus help.**

* * *

 **Day Sixty**

* **Day Fifty-Nine** *

"Hey, listen to this. They call Kagoshima Japan's Hawaii and compare it to Naples, Italy." Hermione laughed from the flowery description.

They were a little late to decide which activity they would do the next day. It got a little forgotten after a new bout of lovemaking that morning and a copious brunch-sized breakfast her wizard ordered to recover from all the effort. Hermione wanted to answer cockily, but his lips kept shutting down every rebuttal, and in the end, she caved in and allowed him to serve her.

Perkins had called their room, urging them to pass on their selection before three o'clock in the afternoon. They had an hour left.

"I don't know a thing about Naples." He bit into an overly buttered scone, back resting against the headboard with a pillow between. Hermione wanted to eat at the table to avoid crumbles. Still, he reminded her of her wizarding powers and the use of the scourgify spell. He won in the end, perhaps because he had exhausted her.

"Neither do I, but they say it has much in common with Naples. The palm tree-lined streets, its mild weather, and how the volcano Sakurajima resembles the Vesuvius in Italy." She read aloud.

"I'm not coming close to that fire-spitting mountain. Not even toe-dipping." He pulled his scone away to make his statement. One lava spitting volcano is more than enough for a lifetime. He bit determinedly into the baked biscuit.

"I agree, don't worry." She giggled. "Well, you do have the choice between visiting the destructive force of a volcano, they describe it as a high-intensity activity with much walking. Or you can experience the human spirit with the beauty of nature. We're lucky in the end, both are walking tours and marked as high-intensity."

"Not even toe-dipping with that volcano!" He reminded her with a raised finger.

"The city of Kagoshima it is then," she closed the book with a thump. "Not even toe-dipping?"

"Not even the tip of my toenail!" The youthful look on his face was hilarious to watch. She bent double in laughter.

* **Day Sixty** *

Describing Kagoshima as Japan's Hawaii wasn't so farfetched. This was the first thought that occurred to Hermione upon arrival. The bay was surrounded by palm trees, across the bay Sakurajima stood tall as a deity sentinel. The three-peaked mountain also resembled a giant molar, like one of those tooth drawings her father used to have in his practice hanging on the wall.

Anyway, it was astonishing in its own right and probably the reason why this city has a tropical look.

Next to her, Draco looked with anything but awe at the same volcano. There was something beautiful about this destructive monster one could not deny.

The boat approached the pier, an island connected from a distance to the mainland by one single road, with only one large grass field and parking lots for short stays, the tourist busses lined up in a row. An open area that heavily contrasted with the shore, a mix and match of low constructions and higher apartment blocks.

The masses that went off-board headed to one of the tour busses, Draco and Hermione's was filled with some familiar faces. They were welcomed by a woman, Mikiko, who gave a small history lesson about the Chiran Peace Museum.

"The Chiran Peace Museum used to be an army flight training school, but it was transformed into a military airbase for _Tokko. Tokko_ means "special attacks" and is basically the military tactic of ramming the pilot and aircraft into enemy warships. _Tokko_ pilots are also known as kamikaze."

"Oh, I didn't know that." Hermione was surprised to learn about the meaning of this familiar term.

"Should I warn the Prophet and have them print a special issue? Hermione Granger doesn't know a fact." Draco's index and middle finger forming quotations in the air.

"Have you ever heard of kamikaze?" For a second, she stopped listening, to face him incredulously. Her fists dug at the waist.

"We're not discussing me." Draco ticked her nose.

"You can be one when you dive after a snitch heads down, well that is you being a kamikaze." Her pointer pushed against his chest.

"Mikiko said kamikazes crash their crafts into the enemy." The wizard pinched her on the side, and she squealed. In the meantime, the guide fell silent, and the couple admired the greenery sightseeing. Between mountain valleys covered in green carpets, through farmer's fields, and in the distance, small villages. Quite surprising especially for Hermione, who pictured Japan to be more cosmopolitan. After forty minutes they arrived at the museum.

The silence carried an aura of peace, the chatter from the bus falling silent without a request. Mikiko distributed an English leaflet and informed the group to return within an hour.

"They are honouring who exactly?" Draco felt again out of his depth.

"Remember Pearl Harbor?" They laced their fingers and followed the group into the museum, using the exchanged Yens to rent an audio guide. "Remember the quote' _they won the attack but lost the war_ '?" Draco mimicked Hermione settling the wired earbuds around the neck. The witch proposed to do the outside first, as the room was pretty crowded with other tourists on top of their cruise group.

"Ah yes and the potion-bombs which destroyed cities." He scratched his blond scruff, following the path towards a wooden house. Inside, thin mattresses laid on the top of a long wooden bank on either side of the bunker, without any type of privacy or comfort. If one stretched his arm, they would knock on his neighbour easily. The beds were covered by white sheets and a flimsy green blanket and a thin pillow, above them a small suitcase resting on top of a wooden plank.

"Nothing like our luxurious rooms," The mattress was so thin that the wizard ruled it to be the most uncomfortable place ever.

"Far from it, in fact." Hermione saw the sign to set up their audio guide onto a specific chapter and showed Draco how to do the same, both listening intently to the narrating voices. As one of the witnesses spoke, Hermione swallowed a lump in her throat. The maid spoke of how the young pilots in their late teens or mid-twenties slept their last night in one of these bunkers, many of those pilot's pillows drenched in tears, in the morning.

Overwhelmed, Hermione left the bunker and strolled between a site full of squared stone lanterns. She had seen similar stone decorations at either side of the road towards the museum's entrance, under the rows of cherry blossom trees which were starting to bloom.

"The guide tells it's one for each fallen pilot." Draco read the leaflet in a low tone. The stone-carved lanterns depicted the typical Japanese curled corner roof. "About a thousand of them." He looked up and then around him and back to the flyer, "A thousand men about my age." _Muggles are insane._

"Let's get inside." She had no answer to his remark. On their way, they stopped at one of the planes that were used for one of the Kamikaze invasions.

"If you ignore the purpose of one of these planes, I can imagine the thrill of flying one of these babies." The boy in him admired the craft. But expecting to learn the dark history behind the pilots, Draco held back on his enthusiasm.

"I'd rather have them use it for a Quidditch plane version, instead of their purpose." This museum was teaching them the other side of the war, one that many people often don't know or want to see.

They finally entered the museum, falling silent at the portraits of the Tokko pilots, "They were so young!" This fact was probably the one Draco found the hardest to accept. _Although, Voldemort's puppets had also been quite young._

Strolling down through several rooms, they looked at two different fighter aircraft in decent shape and the third, a wreckage salvaged from the ocean missing parts and its tail. Their time didn't allow them to watch the documentaries shown in the audiovisual hall, alas. But in the history room, they studied the uniforms, the flags, reconnaissance pictures and log books from superior officers.

As the audio guide continued to narrate, the more they discovered about the young men. Most hoped that their sacrifice would bring prosperity to their families, or simply believed that they had no other choice. Yet, the last part of their visit affected them the worst. They and the rest of their group as it seemed. Preserved behind glass cases, countless farewell testaments and goodbye letters were exposed, written by the Tokkos and posted to their loved ones, before joining their suicide mission.

" _Mum, I'm sorry for being a disobedient child. Please forgive me. I'm happy to go_." Draco had to stop the audio guide for a second, upon hearing the translation a letter. Swallowing dry the lump stuck in his throat, he continued to listen. " _I'm going to die on the sea of Okinawa. Even after my death, I'll defend my country, Japan."_ Followed by, " _How many people will cry for me when I die?"_ It continued to translate, but Draco ripped off the earbuds, incapable of listening further.

"They thought their ultimate sacrifice was the right thing to do." The Slytherin whispered ten minutes later when Hermione finally exited the museum looking as devastated as he felt. "Young scared blokes knew they were going to die!" He felt an unknown rage rise in his chest, for the government of old men who decided to send those boys to death as the next best step to conquer a war.

Draco stopped at a statue of a Tokko, dressed in the pilot's last uniform. He reflected in silence, while Hermione squeezed his hand, lost in her own thoughts. _I could have been that bloke, following someone's orders blindly, thinking my death would save my mother's life. Believing I had no choice, backed into a corner._ He closed his eyes to gather some strength, taking a deep breath.

The return journey to Kagoshima city happened in absolute silence. None of the passengers spoke. All of them conscious that war has no winners.

-oOo-

Nearly upon arrival, Mikiko introduced the second destination, the Iso Gardens.

"The Iso Gardens, also known as _Sengan-en_ is a Japanese style garden, overlooking Sakurajima volcano and Kagoshima's bay. It includes shrines, streams, ponds and a bamboo grove. It was constructed by a wealthy _Daimyo_ clan, the Shimazu clan in 1658. In the centre, you'll see the Iso Residence, the main residence of the Shimazu clan and its interior is preserved the way it was used in the 1890s after its reconstruction."

 _It has something idyllic_ , Hermione enjoyed her first impression of the Daimyo garden quietly. It also brightened her spirits after the Peace Museum. Watching Draco's stance, it was also doing him good.

"We don't see this kind of landscaping at home." Draco voiced Hermione's following thought. "Look at the paved footpaths, the different heights and how it's oriented towards the volcano." Again, they were given free time to explore the gardens at will.

Walking hand-in-hand, the two strolled down the footpaths heading uphill or downward.

"Look at how the water flows," Draco marvelled at the way the waterfall bled into a pond, stones ingeniously placed to curve the water and force its flow below a stone bridge. He took several pictures, "Perhaps we can use it as inspiration for our own garden?"

The peaceful trickling of water added to the sense of tranquillity, "Create our zen corner?"

"Our what?" He straightened his back, after two more pictures of the ingenious way the bridge was supported.

"Our zen corner, a corner to feel peaceful and relaxed." She patiently explained while pushing him into movement. A few feet ahead they stood still at the _Oniwa Shrine_. The nearby plate described the shrine as a place to worship according to the _Shinto_ religion. It stood proudly on the top of stone stairs, between several trees including a few cherry blossom trees.

Cautiously, Hermione climbed the stairs, stepping under the _Torii_ gate formed by two vertical wooden posts and topped by a crosswise round beam, a smaller one a short distance below. Behind the passage stood the shrine that the Gryffindor would describe as a temple with typical Japanese curled roof corners. "I wonder how much the _Shinto_ religion differs from the _Buddhism._ " They curiously toured around the sanctuary building, yet due to the time constrictions, they couldn't explore it as much as they wanted.

"I don't think any of our wizarding books will contain any information." Religion was still something abstract to him. He didn't quite understand why Hermione had burned a candle in a Catholic church at Huatulco. In their wizarding world, they didn't pray to gods or divine beings. Along this cruise, however, he has encountered many examples of how Muggles do worship a higher power.

"No, you are right. I wonder if the ship contains an encyclopedia. Otherwise, I'll have to wait until we're back in the UK." It didn't escape her how meticulously the gardens were kept, "Look Draco, it's like they manicure the plants and trees."

"Don't expect the same from me, witch. We'll employ a house-elf to keep it neat." Draco added quickly, remarking the raised eyebrow, "Employed as in a free and paid elf, hold your horses, love. See it as a small version of your Perkins for the garden. And for the household. And maybe for cooking too."

"Not cooking." She poked his chest, "We'll cook for each other."

"I can't cook." He grabbed her by the waist and walked towards the exit, time was running out.

"We'll do more cooking workshops aboard then. I need to learn as much as you do, Harry can cook much better than me." In reality, she was a disaster behind the pots and pans, but Draco didn't need to know it. Yet.

-oOo-

"Excuse me, Miss Mikiko, can you explain to me the difference between Shinto and Buddhism?" Hermione approached their guide while waiting for the other passengers to assemble.

"Of course," The young guide bowed at the waist, "Both are thousands of years old. The Shinto religion is a spiritual ideology, where it is believed that the powerful deities -gods- live both in heaven and on earth. Buddhism comes from China and Korea, which means the Buddha doctrine literally. Many Japanese people practise both without restraints. Shinto is often the religion for the earthly matters, to pray for success and many weddings are hosted at a shrine. Buddhism is considered the religion for the spiritual, where you would go to pray for your ancestors and where the temples usually host funerals."

"Ah, surprising." Hermione nodded, impressed.

"Easier understood, you can say that Shinto has no founder, no script and the most important trait is purity. The shrines are used to enshrine Shinto deities." Draco followed the conversation with interest. In a way, Shinto was like their Wizard world. It had no exact founder, no script and it did follow the natural way, though it could be slightly a farther stretch from the truth. It was absolutely not like Buddhism if he understood Mikiko's further explanation. "Buddhism has a script, it was founded by Buddha and teaches how to reach enlightenment. His statue and other Buddhist deities are worshipped at temples."

 _Definitely not Buddhism. We don't worship statues,_ thought Draco until the Slytherin remembered how many had glorified the Dark Lord for a while. _Thank Salazar we're no longer that stupid._

Facing the volcano and raising his face towards the sunlight, he allowed the peaceful aura to seep through his spirit. Tomorrow Nagasaki awaited, and he had heard that name before, so the chances were very high to see with his own eyes, the devastation left behind by wars. _They should teach this at Hogwarts, open prejudiced eyes before they could do damage. Maybe father can suggest an obligatory trip…_

-oOo-

Mikiko brought the group to the Furasato Food Village for their lunch break. A new first again for a wizard used to fine dining, a complete cultural shock as it were.

The Furasato Food Village consisted of a Japanese Style pub street. On both sides of the short alley, nearly twenty different food stalls to choose from, high wooden tables with stools outside against the doors.

"I advise you to taste from a few stalls instead of eating a big meal in one place." Mikiko tried to urge the group into experiencing the Japanese Yatai style of food. "Yatai means shop stand. You have one hour."

"I want to try the noodles, Draco." The broth aromas from the nearest stall woke up her hunger. She pointed at the picture with chicken and thick noodles and the man behind the counter poured into a ceramic bowl, a royal portion of flavourful broth over shredded chicken, green onions and sugar snap peas.

The bowl was quickly devoured between the two, Draco leaving the last spoon over to his witch, gentlemanly, "We must learn how to make this, love. It's a combination of soup and meat, with crunchy veggies. I love it."

Hermione couldn't agree more, "You choose the next dish." She let him guide her, slithering between the tables and other eating guests.

Draco stopped at a stall cutting tuna sashimi, "I loved that in Honolulu." He pointed at the salmon, the tuna and a white fish he didn't recognise. The Asian woman nodded and motioned them to sit at a table. From there they had an excellent view of the chef cutting evenly thin slices of fish. The tuna seemed to have seared skin.

The woman brought a wooden plate with several plates surrounding the bigger one with the sashimi on it. The side dishes consisted of shredded Daikon radish and green Shiso leaves, plus little bowls with soy sauce, wasabi paste and grated fresh ginger. In the end, she offered a pair of chopsticks.

"Be careful with the green paste, Draco." Hermione broke the chopsticks and tried to get the handle of it. Yet, catching one slice of sea brass was more difficult than ordering her broomstick up.

The same woman returned, took the sticks from Hermione and connected them with a rubber band, "Better?" The witch caught her slice quickly and gave the Japanese a thumbs up. "You too, sir?"

Draco handed over his pair, a light blush painting his cheeks. He thanked with a slight bow, "Thank you."

A silence fell between the couple, dipping the slices in the soy sauce and degustating the pure flavour of the raw fish, "Love, can we eat sushi back home? This is really delicious."

"Not in Wizarding London, but in the Muggle boroughs, probably closer to China Town in central London, yes." She took a tiny bit of the wasabi. She added a small cut of shiso leaves to it, as the plant lessens the overpowering taste of ingredients. Despite the shiso, she took a healthy sip of water right after, the wasabi at home was much less spicy than the genuine Japanese variety.

"A little bit hot?" Draco steered away from the wasabi but did enjoy the pepper-ish taste of freshly grated ginger. Then, he rolled a few strings of the radish, the crispy and juicy texture cooled off his tongue slightly.

"I dare you to try it." She bobbed with her chin at the bowl with the green paste.

"No, thank you." Instead, he stole the last slice of the tuna, dipped it in the soy and bit half of the portion, dumping the other half inside her mouth.

Pretty full, they didn't resist trying the Yakitori chicken skewers as the last dish, fresh out of the barbecue. The couple didn't even bother with looking for a table to sit, biting off the meat on the go.

"I like Japanese food." Draco cleaned his lips on the napkin. He only missed something sweet, but perhaps there was time to enjoy a tea after the last excursion stop.

"I like what I recognise, they can eat things that I will not taste even if offered thousands of galleons." Hermione dropped her wooden skewer in a trash can, muttering a _tergeo_ on both their hands to clean the sticky feel of their skin. "They enjoy grasshoppers, for example."

"I'll be cross if you trick me into tasting insects!" The thought alone nauseated him instantly.

"I'm not that evil!" Hermione's face frowned, offended, "Unless you act like a git again." Suddenly, she grabbed his hand and pulled him towards a colourful food stall, "Oh, look!" On a hot baking plate, a man baked little dough balls. The smell was mouthwatering.

The man spoke in Japanese to Hermione, repeating the same words again. Thankfully Mikiko stood behind her, "He's asking how many _Takoyaki_ you want."

"Is that how they are called?" Hermione stuck four fingers in the air, in the meantime.

"Yes, _Takoyaki_ are sponge cake balls, you can have them with many tastes, he's doing the basic version." Mikiko explained, "You can have them also with matcha tea, for example."

While Hermione counted the necessary money, Draco accepted the boat-shaped bowl, finding to his great pleasure a thick dollop of chocolate sauce on top of the dough balls. His sweet tooth was getting satisfied after all. He slightly bowed again, "Thank you."

Mikiko directed them, "At the end of the road, you'll find the bus. We'll be leaving in twelve minutes."

The couple nodded. Hermione fished a ball from Draco's bowl, biting with a hand underneath her dessert. "These are so good."

"I'm so glad you feed my sweet tooth." The boy in him licked a stripe of chocolate sauce first before biting. Unaware however that he left a dot of sauce at the tip of his nose. Grinning, Hermione refrained from warning him straight away.

"I'm becoming an expert in the Draco Malfoy subject." Unabashedly, she licked her fingers clean. The two balls were devoured in no time. Draco's followed as shortly, the wizard taking a cue from her to also lick the remains from his digits.

Yet, he saw her dipping a finger in her mouth and approaching his face, "What are you doing?"

"Cleaning something on your face."

"Not with spit, you don't." Not even Narcissa used this approach when he was a toddler.

"Otherwise, I can lick your nose clean with my tongue, but I think the Japanese people will not appreciate such a display." By then, Hermione had grabbed his face and swiped away the dirty place. The finger entered her mouth, and she made a scene licking off the digit with her tongue.

"Allow me to return the favour later." His grey orbs darkened, arousal burning at the surface.

-oOo-

The second-to-last leg of their excursion was close by, in less than twenty minutes they exited the city and arrived at the Shiroyama Observatory. This was the hiking part of their tour ascending fifteen-hundred meters through gentle zigzag paths.

Through those switchbacks with a jungle feel coming from the masses of trees surrounding the hiking paths, they explored the lava fields. They arrived at the very top and admired the Sakurijama volcano from an outstanding point of view, it was releasing grey clouds of dust.

Nearly the entire group watched in alarm.

"Don't worry, that's almost a daily event. It might erupt for a little, but we are very safe." Mikiko's reassurance didn't soothe at all. Barely anybody was at ease. "Take as many pictures as you want, Sakurajima is one the most active volcanoes in Japan and erupts minorly many times a day. We are used to this." The guide giggled.

"Let us just take our pictures and descend, what do you think, Hermione?" Draco couldn't deny that the view was exceptional. Adding a smoking volcano to your background also had its advantages. The blond had taken none from Rabaul's eruption, it was far from his thoughts at the moment.

"I'm not opposed." Not only had they a great view over the volcano, but also the city was a landscape to admire. "Take a picture of the city also, please."

After a few moments, Draco realised that the distance between them and the volcano was of such an extent that the chance of them being caught in a second Rabaul event was minimal. He relaxed obviously and started to enjoy the surroundings, the lava traces and listening to a minor history lesson about the place. Their location was the site of a last samurai rebellion in the nineteenth century. _They fight wars all over the place, in Merlin's name._

-oOo-

The very last stop before the end was at the ruins of the Tsurumaru Castle, originally constructed in the early seventeenth century for the Satsuma Family feudal lords, guarded by samurais. It was lost in a fire almost two centuries later, and it housed a museum inside.

Mikiko, however, told them that the time didn't allow for a visit inside the museum, the stop only happening so they could see the outside ruins.

Following the guide, Draco and Hermione explored the moat and its walls, but the excitement wasn't there. They were ruins, after all. "You can see what it must have been, but it's not much of a must-see place, is it?" He longed after a dive in the outside pool and to stretch his exhausted legs on a sunbed.

"Not really." Hermione shared his opinion. She giggled, "My thighs hurt, can you give me a massage tonight?"

"It comes at a cost." Slytherins never gave a thing for free.

"Always a Slytherin and a Malfoy, eh?" She rolled her eyes, climbing the stairs of the bus and sitting with a huff.

"You wouldn't want otherwise." The gleam in his eyes spoke volumes.


	52. Day Sixty-One

**My dear Magzillasaurus needs some time for herself. So I asked a lovely Reylo sister that also adores Dramione to help me out in between. Let me introduce you to my new beta lady: LadyRhy!**

 **I have a question: A guest reviewer told me my fic was becoming dragging since the last ten chapters. So my question is: do you share his opinion? Should I speed forward to whatever I have planned (Malificent smile - you don't expect the rest to be a pinky fairytale, do you?)? Shortcut sea days? Or continue at this pace?**

 **This review did set me back for a moment, doubting what to do. I hope my faithful readers will put me on the right course.**

 **Take care and happy reading. (this chapter is safe *evil grin*)**

* * *

 **Day Sixty-One**

While Kagoshima was smaller and more provincial, Nagasaki was everything Hermione expected Japan to be. Metropolitan, with high towers and highways, full of people heading to work and minding their own business. Her travel guide described the reason why Nagasaki breathed with such a cosmopolitan vibe. The city was one of the few ports in Japan which had been allowed to trade with foreign countries, like China and the European nations, during the isolation period.

The city's vibrant energy surrounded the couple from the moment they disembarked the _Arcadia_. Despite the early morning hour, the commotion of commuters was already hitting its peak.

Today on the schedule was a full day excursion, including visiting a war site and the origins of porcelain manufacturing in Japan.

The group was greeted by a woman in her early thirties with a warm smile, a cute wicker hat on her head. Her flowery wrap dress fluttered in the wind and her arms clutched a pack of papers tightly. That exact, little detail pleased the academic side of Hermione so much that the witch selected a seat in the front row instead of her usual preference for somewhere halfway along. Draco took the window seat with a certain eager glee, recognising in the guide the Japanese counterpart of his swotty witch.

"Good morning, my name is Hitomi, I was born and raised here in Nagasaki but have travelled the world quite extensively. It's my great pleasure to be your guide for today. Today's itinerary starts with a visit to a local pottery, _Gen-emon Kiln_ workshop, and a gallery in Arita. We'll have lunch at a local Japanese buffet before we return to Nagasaki, where we'll visit the Peace Memorial Park and the Peace Statue before returning to the ship."

Hitomi was the first guide to lay out the entire journey and Draco appreciated it at first. Listening to her cheerful introduction, though,, he feared he'd be unable to enjoy the scenery in silence. _For Merlin's sake, will the chatterbox shut up at some point or I am trapped with a Gabby Grindylow for an hour and a half this early in the morning?_ Luckily, the guide shushed and the first hour was passed in peace as they admired the view, him holding Hermione's hand on his lap.

When they'd nearly reached the arrival point the microphone came to life: "Arita was the first city in Japan to produce porcelain after a craftsman discovered _kaolin_ at a nearby quarry, almost four hundred years ago. _Kaolin_ is the clay mineral needed to produce porcelain." Flipping her stapled pages, Hitomi continued. "Several kilns were built, many meant for larger-scale production, which resulted in great prosperity for the town. As we approach, you'll notice the numerous long chimney's, each marking the presence of a _Kiln_ , a thermally insulated chamber, like a type of oven. The _kilns_ have been used for thousands of years, the first found in the ancient Mesopotamian region of Irak."

Draco came to the ironic conclusion, sighing behind a fist: _I_ _ **am**_ _sharing the ride with a Japanese Granger_. He anticipated learning more from this woman in one trip than all the other excursions put together. Discovering a fact or two was never wrong, but he didn't need to know every tiny detail, either. Under normal circumstances, he would muffle the chattering. _Yet, I'd rather endure the torture now than receive a lecture later..._

With reluctantly luke-warm interest, he returned his attention to Hitomi. "The _Gen-emon Kiln_ we're visiting today has passed their traditional hand-made porcelain techniques from generation to generation. You'll witness the famous craftsmanship with your own eyes." Hitomi paused to sip water, "I just ask that all of you to be careful as you enter the workshop. The ceilings are low because they created an extra storage area for dishes between the roof and the actual ceiling. Be mindful not to bump your heads."

The bus arrived at its destination.

Draco's first impression was of how much the workshop exuded history. Far from a big construction, the shop had a decrepit wooden cabin-look, except for the high red-brick chimney that rose in the middle. An enormous pile of wooden logs was stacked up under the porch.

When they entered through a double glass-panelled wooden door, the couple took in the ample open space. The low working tables were scattered around near the windows to make optimal use of the sunlight. Each table was occupied by a craftsman sitting on a thick padded floor mat, legs folded in lotus pose, all surrounded by multiple brushes and knives in vases and ink pots of all kinds.

Just like Hitomi had described, the ceiling was low. Hermione could walk freely around, but Draco was forced to hunch, like a few others, eyeing the wooden planks and porcelain craft above their heads to avoid being coshed.

The group dispersed, silently witnessing the level of detail the men and women exercised on each piece to create an elaborate, colourful artwork. Draco murmured to his frizzly-headed companion, "You have to have oodles of patience for this job."

"I agree," hummed Hermione, admiring the steady hand of the woman they observed. There was room to not gum away a mishap. "Hell, they aren't creating one piece. They are making several in sequence! Look how she's studying the example. I cannot guarantee I would have the patience."

Further away, a man gave shape to a new porcelain bowl, the wheel beneath spinning at a steady pace. "Draco, it seems so easy," she said in awed excitement. The craftsman moulded waves of yellow clay into the desired shape, dipping fingers into a bowl of water every so often to keep his medium lubricated.

"I have the feeling it's not a piece of cake," The wizard rebutted, watching the intense focus of the older man at the wheel. "Consider me impressed, Hermione. This is not mass production with a flick of our wands." At the next worktable, a woman coloured small flower petals on a teacup. Draco studied the level of detail on the tiny artwork admiringly. "I think my mother would appreciate a new tea set."

"I agree." In fact, Hermione contemplated purchasing a new set for herself and found it easy to come to a decision. "I would like one for myself, too."

"Let's go find a nice set." He laced their fingers and headed to the store. After some back and forth, the couple settled on a teapot and teacup combination depicting a peacock scenery for Narcissa - winking towards Lucius's favourite birds. Hermione herself fell for a delicate Asian flowery scene with a shrine in the forefront.

Away from any Curious George's (or Fred's), Hermione cast a cushioning spell to prevent breakage. Shrinking their bag would draw too many odd looks, since several people had seen them buy the pieces.

-oOo-

Draco's stomach roared just as the bus arrived at their restaurant. Rising early and a long journey on the bus with only one banana to satisfy his hunger wasn't enough for the wizard. Though he did kiss his little witch with gratitude for thinking about bringing a snack, in the first place.

"Is my Slytherin getting hungry?" Hermione studied the place they arrived at with curiosity. Seemingly more modern than the Arita village they just left, though she had no idea of what the place was called. Inside, they were delighted to find a nice looking restaurant with bright walls and large windows. The dark brown tables looked unusual, however. Each couple sat facing the other and had between them a heating plate.

"Do we have to cook our own food?" Two blond eyebrows disappeared under a flaxen fringe, seeing how other guests dipped the contents in a boiling broth and plucking them out seconds later, devouring the serving in one go.

"It looks like fondue at home." Hermione's face brightened with an ear-to-ear smile. She'd always loved to eat like this with her parents, one time even enjoying a fish fondue in London, comically fishing for their pieces of fish with a small net instead of a two-tined fork.

"What for a beast is that?" He noticed a critical detail. The locals were fishing their food out of the hot pots with chopsticks, and he was not a crack at that epicurean discipline. _Can I cast a sticking charm to those sticks?_ If not, he feared he'd wind up with an empty stomach, frustrated at the countless hit-or-miss efforts sure to come.

"Back home, we have an oil-boiling pan to fry our food in it. Pieces of chicken, beef, pork, or sausage. You cook it to taste and it's nice to do because you cook with family around you." Hermione explained while sitting where the waitress told them to.

Hitomi requested their attention and they both turned. "We are in a Shabu Shabu restaurant, which means you can eat all you want, but you have to cook it yourself. At the buffet behind you, you'll find a large offering of fresh-cut vegetables to choose from. The waitress will bring a plate with a selection of meats, and you cook them just a few seconds in the pot between you. Your pots are boiling with a savoury broth."

As she spoke, a steamy pot of oxtail broth was placed between Hermione and Draco, the mouthwatering flavour stirring hunger in the witch and increasing Draco's appetite.

"You need to let the vegetables boil a bit longer than the meat. The meat only needs seconds, so swish it in the pot and eat it immediately," Hitomi continued to explain. "Enjoy your lunch."

The tourists rose from their seats as a herd, utterly famished, impressed with the variety of comestibles offered at the vegetable bar. Hermione selected a few Asian ingredients, heaping onto her plate some napa cabbage chunks or leafy greens labelled as _tong ho_ , along with from some more recognizable broccoli, green onion, a few different mushrooms looking like _shitake_ and a cube of tofu.

As usual, Draco copied her choices, trusting her taste. But where Hermione took two or three of each, Draco restricted his quantity to one a-piece, adding extra carrots, onions, and white cabbage to his hoard. He pulled a face at the tofu, skipping that tray altogether.

"You forgot the tofu," Hermione noticed, adding a few _shiitakes_ to his pile. He didn't recognise the mushroom as such, but she knew he was going to like the taste.

"That tastes like bland chicken. No, thank you." For all intents and purposes, he set the bowl well out of her reach.

Back at their seats, they observed a few tables around them to try to get an idea of what to do. A waitress thankfully moved to advise "Put carrots in first together with the bok choy, they need more time to boil. The _tong ho_ only dip, they cook very fast." The woman watched Draco having trouble with his chopsticks, and used a rubber band to tie them up for him, repeating the merciful gesture for Hermione with a smile.

"At least, I'll be able to eat." The wizard sniffed at the boiling pot. "This broth smells delicious."

As a starter, the waitress brought a plate with three soup bowls, "We have _shio-tonkotsu_ , a soup made of pork bones, and scallion oil and seafood aromas. The other is _kimchi_ , spicy vegetable soup. As of last, we offer _tounyou-collagen_ , a mix of oxtail soup and soy milk."

Both wrinkled their noses at the soup with milk. Hermione simply gestured at the first two choices and started to taste from the pork and seafood soup, "I like _tea_ with milk, but soup with milk is a bit questionable. This one is surprisingly tasty."

Draco tasted carefully from the spicy soup, "I didn't like the idea either. Damned if they added something salty and tangy to this soup. It's spicy, but my mouth isn't on fire." He used his sticks to stir the pot, in the meantime. Halfway through, they exchanged bowls, "I like my soup the best. This _shio_ -soup is good, I'll grant, but that tangy taste in mine brings the soup to another level."

"Oh, mister, you are probably referring to the _miso_." The waitress was cleaning the nearby table. "It's a soy-based seasoning."

Draco nodded, flashing an understanding look as if he knew what soy was. "Ah, yes. Soy." Hermione snickered.

-oOo-

"Is your fondue as good as this _shabu-shabu_ thing?" Draco still tasted the soft ice serving with a thick dollop of chocolate sauce and a big spoon of chocolate rice crispies. Their dessert at the end, also self-service. Yet, the delicious _wagyu_ beef paired with a crunchy cooked _napa_ cabbage was his favourite, he decided. Halfway through the meal he'd gotten out of his chair to pick up some more of those odd-looking Japanese vegetables that were surprisingly delicious.

"Yes, it is. I can't say which one I prefer." Her own soft ice serving had a combination of oatmeal flakes, raisins and Draco's rice crispies. Not only did she discover new tasteful vegetables and an unknown cooking style, she'd had great fun watching Draco boil his servings and combining tastes... even if he stole her greens before he ultimately went after a refill, at least he brought enough for both of them.

"We'll do that when we're home, then." _Cooking together isn't that bad, after all._ "Hermione, do you have a pepper-up with you? I shouldn't have drunk that last _sake_ ," he murmured, feeling slightly light in his head. He had tasted different sour _shochu_ cocktails instead of switching to soft drinks at a certain point like his much wiser witch had. He'd been curious to sample the colourful concoctions, not aware of how much more alcohol it contained than he'd first thought.

Hermione looped an arm around his elbow, grinning. "I might have."

"I love you." He pecked her cheek.

-oOo-

Chatterbox Hitomi started to describe their last stop the moment the bus took off. "We'll be visiting the Peace Park and the Peace Statue next." As they rode along, she distributed a leaflet about the site. "I won't fill your heads with trivia, since much of it you can find described inside the booklet. I just want to reflect on one particular point: Nagasaki Peace Park is meant to remind all people of the horrors of war, but also express hope for peace. People said that no nature would grow on the spot for seventy-five years and yet, all the grounds are surrounded by trees and the memorial itself is set on a green carpet of grass. The flowers and artworks were donations that were sent from all over the world in support of the city's prayer for peace."

The four-page leaflet was filled with information about the iconic site. Draco and Hermione inched closer to each other and spent the hour-long bus journey reading about their last visit on Japanese soil.

"We must take a picture of this statue," Hermione said as she pointed at a big sculpture. "Harry will like to see this too." It depicted a man sitting cross-legged, one hand pointing towards the sky, the other with a hand stretched horizontally outward to his side.

"The open hand outstretched symbolises world peace." Draco kept finding himself comparing the way Japanese people approached their war and its devastation, to the way the Wizarding community tried to forget its own violent past. "The closed eyes convey a silent prayer asking that the souls of the victims find a resting place in peace." He felt Hermione's eyes studying his profile. He took a deep breath, rubbed his face and the back of his neck. "Purebloods should visit these grounds," he quietly remarked. "To see with their own eyes how Muggles pay the respects to the fallen victims without trying to sell the message of how wrong the other party was."

When he'd boarded the _Arcadia_ in Southampton, the last thing the wizard expected was to be educated about the ways Muggles tackled their past, despite their role in the conflict. "The superior race my arse," he muttered.

"Your _perky_ arse," Hermione joked to lighten up the mood, but contemplated what had just unfolded before her eyes. Could Draco surprise her more? Would she have ever believed that this pompous childhood git could have turned into a man able to reflect on the customs of his "own kind," as he'd so charmingly referred to the wizarding community, and see they needed some readjusting? Hermione Granger, before this cruise, wouldn't have believed it for a second. And yet, here she sat next to a solemn wizard who understood the underlying message spelled out before him by those he'd once deemed lesser than himself. Hell, not even Harry would dwell on the symbolism of a peace park like the one ahead this way.

"Perky, eh?" He bit her shoulder playfully, willingly allowing her to lighten the mood. "I think I'll need to visit Angelo and his gym. All the sweets of late aren't good for my physique."

"Your favourite gym trainer will love to see you pay him a visit." Hermione gave him a wide grin.

"Did I say I was going alone, princess? You're going with me to protect my virtue. Hell if I'm enduring his ogling on my own."

"Ah, he's only bark and no bite." Still, she smirked good-naturedly, "You go for a gym session, I'll go for a hot-stone massage tomorrow."

"Absolutely not!" Her gaze clouded but he was quick to deter the inevitable tirade about independence, "I like those massages too, love. Listen, let's not get carried away. You like to go to bingo, so do that while I suffer under the maniacal attentions of that Italian tosser. Then we'll go relax with a massage." He dropped his voice suggestively as he continued the train of thought. "And end the day with a lazy shagging."

Her eyes narrowed. "Lazy shagging?" She spoke very low to avoid eavesdroppers.

Knowing he had her full attention, he tapped his finger against his lips, one of the corners curling up in amusement. Draco shrugged. "You know what I mean. Take all the time in the world, explore every inch, mark each point of attention."

The narrowed gaze transformed into a wide gleaming stare, "Each point?"

His pointer finger grabbed her chin, raised it slightly and pulled it closer closer to his. His grey eyes bore into her brown pair. "I won't skip even one. I'm nothing if not meticulous in my work."

"All bark, no bite." Hermione rubbed her nose affectionately against his.

"If it's biting the lady desires, what am I if not her humble servant?" This playful Hermione was his favourite. No doubt about it.

-oOo-

When the group boarded the bus again for its return journey to the _Arcadia_ , it happened calmly. Apart from one or two souls, the majority were deep in thought about the beauty of the place they visited and the symbolism it silently screamed.

Between Hermione and Draco, there was no difference in how greatly it had affected them. It was confronting to look at the remains of steel-enforced concrete walls in the grass, a former prison bombarded to pieces. A hundred and thirty-four people had been killed instantly.

The statue depicted on the leaflet was gigantic, towering in their minds even as the bus took them further and further away from it. Draco had remarked how he had felt like a house elf-sized wizard next to it. The black monolith marked the atomic bomb hypocentre, stone circles devastatingly illustrating the waves of destruction it originated. One fell silent for far less.

What had impressed Hermione the most was the glass showcase underneath a river, showing the city's original ground level. "They rebuilt the city on a three-metre-high pile of rubble," she'd read from the plate next to the windows, climbing the stairs to the exit point. Contemplative in light of this detail, the witch took a deep breath and took the city passing by her window in with a fresh pair of eyes.

Just like Hogwarts had been rebuilt from its destruction, Nagasaki breathed revitalizing energy and peace on the remnants of destruction. For this moment alone, every pound she'd spent on her cruise was worth it.

-oOo-

"I'll knock some sense into my father, so he uses all his damn weight on that board and introduces field trips to Hogwarts. The new generation should see this. This and Honolulu, to receive a lesson in humility and avoid a repeat of our own war at all costs," Draco ruminated later that evening. "Books describe it decently, perhaps, but seeing it with your own eyes is another ball of wax." He lay spread on the bed, recovering from their recent lovemaking session. The lazy approach had a faster ending than he'd originally planned. Exploring your fiancée's beautiful body at a slow pace and remaining in control of your libido was harder than he'd first thought.

"You should start with the Pureblood, old fashioned society, first." She perched her chin on Draco's chest, hooking a leg between his. Her finger traced a drop of sweat all the way down to the indent in his belly.

"That will be easy peasy. We just need to describe how awesome this cruise is to the ladies," he snarked. "We should make copies of our pictures so my mother can influence her high-society friends. The men will stand no chance." His laughter rumbled through his chest, and she joined in.

Their next destination was Hong Kong, two days from now. Another overnight stay, like in Sydney. And less history-laden than Japan.

As Hermione's eyes closed, she thought of how long it had been since she ate some decent wontons. She could nearly taste them on her tongue.

* * *

 **A.N.:**

A special thank you to reader Loveofironbull, Arita was already on the planning, but your suggestion just had me pay better attention to the details.

Next port: Hong Kong


	53. Day 62

**Thanking my dear LadyRhi for her help brushing up this chapter for you.**

 **Thanking also all my dear readers who took the time to give me their honest opinion about the progression of this story. Your input is invaluable. I heard you all.**

 **But to those who expect Southampton on short notice, I'm sorry to disappoint. We have 37 days and 12 ports ahead, and the biggest portion of you enjoys this little travel story as it is. Discovering other countries through Draco and Hermione's eyes. Yet, I will not dedicate a single chapter to a sea day, any longer (except for today's chapter). I might skip a day altogether or describe multiple sea days in one episode.**

 **Below, I'm sharing with you the destinations ahead. I remain faithful to the itinerary of P &O's 99 days cruise around the world (Jan-March '19, 23 ports) an essential element for this story. Dream ahead and if you want, hit me up with details I should know about or use, if fits the narrative.**

 **Besides, who told you this fic would end when they arrive home? Not me for sure... :D**

* * *

 **Day Sixty-Two**

Draco mused as he sipped his Sex on the Beach cocktail. From the entire list of drinks he could choose from, this vodka, peach and orange cocktail was the one he ordered the most often. Hermione followed him with her eyes, the corners of her mouth curling into a knowing smile. By now, she knew Draco was a creature of habit, only testing new foods or drinks if she poked him into it. In fact, he prefered to sample from her plate or glass instead of choosing what was on the next line on the menu, as she did.

This cocktail, however, did not undergo the same procedure. She remembered the first time he ordered it at the pool bar as if it was yesterday. It had been after Aruba, coincidentally. While perusing the drinks menu to choose something other than the usual beer, he'd nudged her with an elbow. "We can order sex on the beach?!" He'd beamed like a teenager telling his friends he'd found his father's porn collection, Draco's grey-blueish eyes glowing a brighter blue than usual with mischief. "It reminds me of our little _twist_ at the beach, you know? When we swam deep enough for me to show my swot how a quick shag should be?" Draco's eyebrows had cocked at her with that devilish slant she'd come to know so well.

Nowadays, he ordered it regularly without the teenagey blush on his cheeks. As he sat down on his pool bed. "I wonder if Blaise knows this one," Draco remarked loudly.

Hermione pushed her cap closer down over her face, skimming with her eyes left and right to see if anyone had reacted to his words. Hermione snorted, relieved to see his snark had gone unnoticed. She threw him the side-eye, determined to give as good as she got. "Are you going to tell him you love sex on the beach?"

The blond nodded lazily with suggestively-raised eyebrows.

His nonchalance made her chuckle, and then she snorted again as an idea came to her. "Tell Blaise about it when your father can hear you. To make it perfect, first, you ride with your brand new quad over the gardens chasing Lucius's precious peacocks, and then you tell Blaise you had sex on the beach." The more of her wicked plan she described, the wider his grin grew.

"Will you watch me?" Picturing how red his father would become, Draco burst into laughter. His fit of the chuckles forced the wizard to sit straight on his seat and set the glass down to avoid any spilling accidents. "Merlin's beard, I don't know if my mother will skin me for this or join in the fun."

Still laughing, Draco nudged Hermione's knee with his own, relishing the intimacy. "Let's go for a swim."

-oOo-

Later, the couple stretched out on their lounge beds on the balcony, enjoying the quiet day before their next adventure.

"Hermione, have you taken a look at the excursions book about Hong Kong?"

"Yes, of course. Don't you know me by now?" Hermione giggled. "We _must_ do the night sky trip and watch the Symphony of Lights, but during the day I can't decide on which option to choose." She frowned, tormented. "It is my favourite excursion from the entire selection. On the other hand, I'm certain that the one you're hoping to do includes a cable car and the picture on the book is already giving me nightmares."

"The cable car with the glass bottom is giving you nightmares already?" Sure enough, the prospect of riding a cable car again thrilled him. The possibility of a repeat of the Scenic Cableway in Sydney was exciting to him beyond words. Though, the ride on the perpendicular train was hard to beat. The pictures on their book advertised spectacular views, and he longed for more action than their latest low-key excursions, hopping from one place to the other by bus.

"Exactly. You can see yourself inside of one already, don't you?" The brunette shook her head at his boyish enthusiasm, excited for some adventure. "You know what? We agreed to go on separated trips if something wasn't to our shared tastes. I'll go for the historical tour." Her voice didn't sound so overjoyed, given the plan meant they wouldn't be spending any time together during the day, but she didn't want to spoil his fun. "And I expect a description of the amazing views. Write me a three-foot parchment review or something," she teased, trying to make the most of things. "Plus, don't forget to take plenty of pictures! I'll bring a brochure to show you what I discovered in my excursion, as an exchange."

He browsed through the book, coming to the page about her historical trip. "Wait, the historical tour, you say? Will you be happy to visit a history museum AND a heritage museum AND a temple on the same journey?" Draco looked at her askance. Even Hermione Granger couldn't want to visit _that_ many museums in _one day_. "My love, one museum sounds interesting, adding a temple to the trip is still within my tolerance, but two museums _and_ a temple? That's the perfect choice for the grandpas, one excursion as lethargic as a history lesson from Professor Binns." He tapped a finger on the page, stressing his conviction.

Hermione couldn't protest, no matter how much she wanted to wipe away his sardonic grin. She threw her arms in the air, "The other option is to stay inside this ship until you return." The witch stared into the distance, lost in thought, chin supported by her hand. "I'm scared of sitting on one of those cable cars where I can see the ground through the floor."

Suddenly, Draco rose to his feet, startling the witch out of her maudlin reverie. He grabbed the phone, pressing the necessary buttons. "Prekins!" The wizard nearly shouted as the butler answered. "Do you know anything about this Ning Ping city's cable car?" The blond listened attentively, rolling his eyes at the sugary way the butler tried to demonstrate his knowledge. "Bloke…" He mouthed to Hermione _what a tosser_ , making her stifle a laugh. "I know what a cable car is, Prekins." Hermione giggled at the intentional mispronunciation and his bared teeth. Draco continued, pacing back and forth while speaking with his thumb and forefinger pinching together, the other fingers stretched in the air in annoyance. He truly resembled a volcano about to burst out of impatience, reminding her of the explosive run-ins she and her friends had with their Slytherin classmate over the years. "Prekins, I only want to know one thing. This cable car, does it have sitting or standing accommodations? Ah, hmmm, yes, yes…" The blond wizard fixed his grey stare on Hermione. "See love, Pre... _Perkins_ says you can sit inside the car, on the sides and not in the middle as in Australia. Thank you, Pre...Perkins. That will be all." The wizard only amended his name because Hermione had silently urged him to play nice with a meaningful look.

Draco hung up, the man on the other side still talking. "Despite how much he helped me to propose to you, I still don't like the beanstalk." He released a deep breath, as he sat again on the lounge bed, elbows perched on his knees. "The tosser told us you'll be sitting with your back against the window facing whoever is on the opposite side. It's different from the gondola in Sydney."

Determined not to lose Hermione's company to some moldy old exhibits, he offered up one more incentive as a last ditch effort at persuading his fiancée to join him, encouraged by seeing her interest rise. "We can take the car without the glass bottom if you feel safer this way."

It was doing the trick, winning a smile from the witch next to him, and Draco gladly turned his attention to the rest of the trip's itinerary.

Aside from travelling by cable car, they were going to visit a fishing village, then a monastery, and to cap things off, some big Buddha. The only downside to the entire plan was the meal, he thought. He was a wizard who enjoyed eating a decent piece of meat or the occasional fish, not to pick at rabbit food for lunch. At least, not voluntarily. _But I won't die from this one time._ He was getting Hermione to give on one thing, he could feel it, so he didn't want to push his luck by complaining about the food, too.

Hermione still sounded dubious, not yet entirely convinced, but valiantly looking for a silver lining. "That outdoor Buddha must be impressive, right?" _If it wasn't for that cable car..._

Draco nodded almost angelically, if it could be believed of him. He purposely mentioned the chronology of the excursion, wheedling for all he was worth. "The journey with the cable car will be downwards, it really _should_ be the last thing on this part of the trip, according to the book."

Hermione nodded pensively, feeling herself starting to give in to his relentless campaign of persuasion.

Her walls were visibly breaking, and he didn't belong to the House of Slytherin just because of his love for the colour green. He leaned forward eagerly, sensing his victory. "And you can hold my hand." The wizard flashed a sweetly innocent smile, even adding a blink or two for good measure.

He cunningly opted for a change in tactics, seeing the witch continue to ponder. What was the Muggle term - reverse psychology?

"Listen, don't beat yourself up about it anymore. You mentioned the alternative already." He worked as much gentle understanding into his voice as he could manage. "We agreed to go on different trips if there was something we couldn't agree on. I'll do my cable car ride, you go wander through your museums, and when we're back on the ship we'll tell each other all about it."

Draco didn't care if he'd likely earned himself the title of a selfish tosser. From the start, he'd enjoyed partaking of these excursions with Hermione at his side. Her knowledge of several Muggle issues he was ignorant about had been priceless. Like Hell he was signing up for a lonely trip only because of a glass cage that travelled between two places, swaying on wires.

At this very moment, he didn't need to nudge her much harder, though. Hermione met his eyes. "Draco, I know it is the most interesting of the choices, aside from the _Kowloon_ excursion we're doing the next day." She hesitated, biting her lip. "You _promise_ that you'll not force me to look down?"

"Absolutely. I will not let you down. Don't you know that I'm your new knight in shining armour?" Draco answered calmly, though the wizard tucked his hands beneath his legs to avoid punching a victory fist in the air.

"Don't make me laugh." As Hermione stared at him with a knowing look, Draco realised she had figured him out. "I see your game, you sneaky snake," she confirmed with amusement.

"I'm a simple bloke with simple needs," he quipped, unrepentant. "This wizard loves to discover the world with the swotiest witch on earth. Imagine me returning from the trip and describing the huge Buddha, while you wandered between dusty knick-knacks and old bats all day long?"

A well-kept eyebrow shot up beneath the brown fringe, calling his bluff. "Are you so concerned about me becoming bored?"

"You always come in first place for me." He stared at her with his most serious face, humor briefly dropping for sincerity. Hermione smiled at that, noting how quickly Draco's mischievousness returned.

"So, if I call Perkins and book us for the historical excursion, you won't mind, right?" A true Slytherin never quit the field until victory was declared in his favor. Hermione dropped her book on the side, rose to her feet, entered the suite, and grabbed the red horn.

Draco rose, his eyes slowly flashing her a look of supreme gratification, bordering on smugness.

In return, Hermione flashed him her widest Cheshire Cat smile and made the call.

* * *

 **A.N.:**

 **Next port is Hong Kong.**

 **Followed by: Hoi An, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi, Colombo, Mumbai, Dubai, Muscat, Limassol, Haifa and Cadiz.**

 **This cruise belongs in my bucket list, if I ever become a billionaire... lol.**

 **Take care, the end is nearing. We can do this.**


	54. Day Sixty-Four

**My dear LadyRhi used her lightsaber to clean up this chapter, thank you darling. Hong Kong is an overnight stay, so I split it into two chapters. Too much to tell ;) Stay safe and enjoy!**

* * *

 **Day Sixty-Four**

"How long can a bridge be, by Merlin's beard?"

After arriving in the port of Hong Kong, they'd departed from the _Arcadia_ and the bus now took them through the city centre towards Landau Island. At the moment, they were riding over the subject of Draco's ire, an imposing suspension bridge carrying six lanes of traffic across its valcore-sized surface. Four more lanes were enclosed below, two reserved for railway transportation.

"I mean, we've been driving on this road for ages, it seems endless." He gestured towards the front window from his aisle seat halfway down the bus's rows.

"If you had paid attention to Ross, you would have heard that the _Tsing Ma_ Bridge is over two kilometres long - a mile and a quarter - one of the longest in the world," Hermione cheekily quoted their guide's earlier spiel. Draco tapped her wiggling nose playfully in revenge. His witch was in lecture-mode once again, and moreover, she was correct, too. He had tuned out the guide, the nasal voice irking him for some unexplainable reason.

"Well love, I'm truly sorry for the lack of patience today," he apologized. "I didn't sleep so well last night." Seeking forgiveness, Draco tenderly rubbed his nose along the column of her neck.

Hermione purred at the gentle caress. "Perhaps if you'd kept to one less tumbler of whisky? You returned yesterday quite tipsy after your night out with the grandpa's." She couldn't help poking fun at his time with the older set he himself snarked about incessantly. After dinner, the group had split into two parties: the ladies went to the Globe for fun and dance. At the same time, the men gathered in the Rising Sun pub for a men-only assembly to watch a live game of cricket on the telly. Draco had shown up in their room well after her own arrival, sporting a tell-tale flush and giggling his arse off at some great joke he'd yet to explain beyond gasping false starts.

It had been quite an effort to get him into bed. He wouldn't drink a sober-up potion. _Because I'm noooot thirsty for potions only for pussy, yoouur pussy, swotty-mine. Can I have some pussy-juice?_ Adding to her difficulties, he hadn't restricted himself to (what he seemed to imagine to be) seductive cajolery, alone. The young wizard groped her with shaky hands, more often than not squeezing next to the desired place than landing his mark. Despite his amorously slurred attempts, her arousal deflated at a whiff of his rank breath. The witch was, by now, familiar with the fact that her wizard didn't perform stellarly when drunk most of the time.

On top of his alcohol-soaked passion, his inebriation led him to spill some choice gossip about his family that had her in stitches. If Lucius knew the nonsense Draco told her, the older wizard would probably have hexxed his son right on the spot. The pretentious pureblood would have burst a blood vessel, especially about a specific episode in which Draco described catching his father in a compromising position with Narcissa around Draco's tenth birthday… booze really did turn her fiance into a Gabby Grindylow!

And left him a little delicate the next morning, as he was finding, sitting in his bus seat.

"Rossy Ross talks too much, and I'm still recovering from yesterday evening. It wasn't whisky for your information. It was Guinness. Again." _When am I going to learn to stay away from the thrice-hexxed Irish drink?_ He had knocked back two sober-up potions this morning, but the effects from yesterday's splurge still lingered. Even despite the little white pill that Hermione called Aspirin, his energy wasn't at its usual level. _Muggle alchemy, honestly._

Draco kept his eyes on the majestic bridge the entire time, trying to steady his swaying head by fixing his gaze on the horizon. The bus only just cleared the second concrete tower, the peak barely visible from the window. After all this time, it still baffled him how Muggles ingeniously came up with iron cables to suspend a platform, allowing people to travel over rivers. There were some clever Muggles out there, he had to admit. Though, wizards didn't need to cross bridges to get somewhere, thankfully. If apparating wasn't possible, then a portkey could always solve the problem. _Between Muggles and Wizards and getting around, there are no winners, it's a draw._

-oOo-

"Oh my god!" Draco couldn't hide his amazement, eyes staring through the front window of the bus.

"What did you just say?" Hermione looked at him in surprise, eyes and mouth wide open.

"Grr, I'm speaking _Mugglish_ , and it's your fault. You're corrupting me!" The blond grunted with a dismissive wave of his hand, but blushing all over. Quickly, he shed away the shame and revelled in the first perceptions of _Tai O village_. Its old, enchanting style, somehow evoking the archaic atmosphere of more familiar places like Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade, made the wizard grin immediately as he stepped out of the bus.

The couple followed the guide through _Tai O Market Street_ , a narrow pedestrian lane surrounded mostly by food shops, the stalls loaded with plastic containers offering salted fish and seafood of all types. The signs above each shop were in Chinese characters, thus incomprehensible to both wizard and witch.

Surveying the street from end to end, Draco didn't notice the dried, beheaded fish dangling on a wire until it was too late. He bumped into the pack, "Argh! What the hell?"

"A mackerel just tried to attack you. Beware of the salted fish!" Hermione mugged, continuing to follow the group, shaking with laughter. "Are you okay? Do you need me to heal your imaginary wound?"

Draco went all serious, grunting low. "Are you laughing at me?"

"I wouldn't dare. What if you tell your father all about it?" His faux-threatening face just sent her into a new peal of laughter.

"Hmm. Is it smart to challenge a serpent?" Her sudden twist in humor sent him almost off balance, but her soft hands on his cheeks, pulling his mouth down to her lips, steadied him.

"I fear the dragon more. He can spit fire." Hermione rubbed their noses and pulled him along behind her, lacing their fingers.

"Why are you so sassy this morning?" Draco pulled the witch back into him, trading places with her and effectively avoiding a new close encounter with more hanging fish.

"You confessed to me yesterday that you caught your parents in a compromising position. If I recall it right, it was in the dressing room." She kept giggling with a healthy, rosy blush brightening her cheeks. Slowly, he was returning to his usual self, playfully tickling her sides. Hermione jerked at a naughty pinch just above her shorts' waistband. "Oh, look! I can buy a husband for eighteen Hong Kong Dollars!" Hermione pointed to a sign on display, mischievously.

The blond paled on the spot, halting in the middle of the road. "If you love me at all, you will never repeat any of what I said to my parents, or you'll have to bury my _avada'ed_ corpse in our gardens." He spoke with a finger stretched out in mock foreboding, but inched closer to study the husband sign with narrowed eyes. "You want to trade _me_ for a food roll?" The price tag was actually referring to a boxed shrimp and pork pizza roll.

"I won't be hungry, at least." Hermione pinched him back, completing her revenge, drawing a groan from his lips. "Besides, don't you know my silence can be bought, my cute, harmless little dragon?" Hermione wiggled her eyebrows, enjoying his discomfort. "Tell me who would kill you? Your beloved mother or your annoying father? Oh, and by the way, I can't be bought with money or baubles." Hermione turned her head flirtatiously, curls bouncing freely around her face. The cheeky witch gave her hapless wizard a once-over for good measure.

"Shall we continue this conversation in our bedroom?" His grey gaze darkened in a fraction of a second, something mildly thunderous beneath his words. "I'd bet on my mother first." Draco grasped her hand and set a firm course to allow them to catch up with the group, intent on dissipating the erotic mood his witch was driving him into.

Unexpectedly, the entire party stilled in awe a few feet away.

Draco stared at the sight before them, equally astounded, "Are we in Venice without knowing it?"

Before them, an endless row of stilted houses rose above the tidal flats of the South China Sea's inlet and the river that flowed through the village. Many had small fishermen's boats anchored to a ladder, some of the vessels with a motor, others just a pair of rowing paddles. Oddly enough, a big Coca-Cola sign hung on the metal fence between two houses, a jarringly modern interruption in the soothing panorama of a bygone age.

"Only if this is the Venice of the Orient," Hermione blurted out. "I don't see gondolas or singing gondoliers." She noticed the guide behind her and covered her mouth, slightly ashamed.

Ross shrugged away her embarrassment with a smile. "Yes, _Tai O_ _is_ called the Venice of the East, as you might imagine. Without the famous singing gondoliers. But you see how Hong Kong used to look, centuries ago." The guide elaborated on his statement, the group hanging from the man's lips. "The majority of the citizens are of old age, the youth escape to the modern city in search of a better life. Those who remain behind stay true to this simple way of life." Many hummed in acknowledgement. "You probably have noticed many metal houses. They were built due to a massive fire three years ago that gutted a large portion of the village."

A motorised tourist boat navigated loudly through the channel, right beneath the drawbridge where the group halted. Several of its tourists shot picture after picture of the picturesque place, the worn and rustic-looking houses and even of the elder residents hanging their laundry outside, going about their lives. Some waved back, others turned their backs, visibly tired of being gaped at like some weird exhibit.

 _I would hex the hell out of those people in their place. I'm not an animal at the zoo._ Draco shook his head, judging the tourists for their evident lack of respect.

"A stinging hex," Hermione commented.

"Did I say something out loud?" Abruptly, Draco turned his head towards his witch.

"No, but your look speaks volumes and mirrors my thoughts perfectly." The brunette rolled her eyes, climbing into the bus.

"Two mandrakes in a pod, my love." He pecked her in a blink of an eye. "We are becoming two mandrakes in a pod."

-oOo-

The only reason why Draco was happy to leave _Tai O_ was the incessant smell of fish in the air, the village's famous speciality. Otherwise, he would gladly have spent more time, perusing between the shops for new herbs or a few curious bits and pieces from the temples. On one of the stalls, he recognised the Buddha image from the picture on their book. Immediately he thought of buying one for his father, to give him a new deity to worship.

Due to their guide's time table, however, buying the present was delayed to a later moment. Perhaps there'd be a better opportunity where they were visiting next, the _Po Lin Monastery_. In no time the bus took them to the big temple at the feet of the massive _Tian Tan_ Buddha. Draco bent his neck back as far as possible to take it all in. "I feel as small as a bowtruckle."

"True, we're the size of an ant next to it, like we say it in _Mugglish_ ," Hermione quipped, pulling him by the elbow. "We need to follow Ross, Draco."

The monastery was on par with the Buddha statue, in terms of imposing appearance. The complex consisted of several temples, pagodas and courtyards. The largest pagoda was certainly the most magnificent. The Grand Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas rose between a sea of green trees, on the opposite side of the giant Buddha.

Hand in hand, Hermione and Draco walked beneath a ceiling of red paper lanterns, dangling in the wind on cords over the entire courtyard. Similar to the iron constructions at the French Lourdes sanctuary, several metal constructions stood before a stone cauldron with holes to cage the sticks, instead of pins. Pilgrims lit big incense sticks as offerings for their prayers. Others inserted the sticks directly into stone cauldrons on four legs.

But the smoke filled the air with a sweet, pleasant and relaxing scent that reminded them both of the incense Professor Trelawney used to light during Divination. Draco and Hermione took large breaths to fully experience the scent.

The Gryffindor found herself whispering, humility filtering within her spirit at the feet of stairs leading to the Great Temple, a sizable two-levelled pagoda. "This ritual is like the candle I lit in the church of Huatulco. Praying to a Buddha seems to be nothing different from the way Christians pray to God." They climbed the high flight of stairs, stopping at the entrance, awestruck.

The entire front of the temple was surrounded by stone-carved pillars depicting dragons rearing up between large open windows. The folded red wooden shutters were covered with yellow Ming period designs. The walls were a mixture of light blue, white and gold between the grey stone pillars.

With interlaced fingers, the couple entered an ample room full of golden hangings, lamps, and paintings on the walls or on the high ceilings. Yet, the most attention-demanding spectacle in that room were three golden Buddha's on top of a large granite shrine decorated with big lotus flower arrangements and baskets cradling fruit offerings.

Draco consulted the leaflet in his hand. "The one on the left is Bhai, huh, Bhaay… I'm sorry..." Slightly frustrated by his inability to pronounce the strange name, he skipped to the essential description. "So, the first is the Master of Healing, in the middle sits the Buddha of our World, and the one on the right is the Buddha of Unlimited Light and Life Spans." He studied the three sculptures, pensively. "If you have to choose between healing or unlimited life span, I honestly don't know who to worship the most."

Hermione smirked into his upper arm, restraining her giggles. After all, this temple wasn't the place to break into a peal of laughter. "I think you should pay your respects to the three, equally. In the end, what good does it do to have an unlimited life span and be sick the entire time?" She perched her chin on his shoulder, looking up with the sweetest little smile.

Draco rejoined with a smile that actually reached his sparkling eyes. "You make a good point, Hermione." They strolled for a few more moments, before mingling between the exiting crowds and heading to the most impressive statue on the site: The Tian Tan Buddha.

Sitting with crossed legs on the top of a three-storey, tiered altar high up on a hill, the impressive bronze statue overlooked China's mainland with a raised right hand. Draco quirked a brow. "Am I imagining things, or is he saying hello to us?"

This time, she did break into a fit of the snickers, "Yes, he's probably telling us, 'I come in peace!'" Draco frowned in confusion, the pureblood missing the easter egg in her answer. She'd quoted a line from the movie _Volcano_ with Tommy Lee Jones, where Anne Heche dressed in a thermal protective suit, raised her hand and said into a tunnel, _We come in peace._ She had seen it in the theatre with her parents, a year before the war and thought the sentiment appropriate.

They crossed the courtyard and halted at the bottom of the hill. "Let's climb the flight of stairs from hell." Hermione took a deep breath of air and started climbing up more than two-hundred sixty stairs, all the way to the top. Draco had to make room for a tourist or two who clutched the mid-rail for dear on their descent.

"One of these days, you'll have to explain to me about this 'hell' of yours, my dear swot." The climb was steep, but at the moment, he had a glorious sight of her perky arse and his mind was contentedly creating all sorts of dirty daydreams. Catching himself, Draco stopped for a few seconds to gather his bearings. _This isn't the place for a boner._

Puffing heavily, the two finally reached the summit. If the statue had looked impressive from below, then standing before it, at its feet was simply magnificent. The Buddha glowed in the sunlight, thanks to the mixture of bronze and gold in the head. The throne where the statue sat depicted an open lotus flower. The hand on his lap was open and relaxed, inviting even, the fingers slightly bent in a natural position. The hair was divided into curls, resembling small, round conch shells. Both the wizard and witch admired the level of detail inserted in this stunning statue.

"You know who would love to have a statue like this?" Draco leaned into Hermione's side, cajoling her with a detail from the past. "Your first Hogwarts crush, Professor Gilderoy Lockhart."

"He wasn't-... I mean, I hadn't... He was my teacher!" The brunette stammered, her cute denial feeding Draco's pleasure. She flushed all pink, hands covering her cheeks.

"Oh, _puhlease_. Even Pansy couldn't stop gushing about the gorgeous blond _Professor_." He mimicked the girl's fawning face. "How brave he was and how eloquent." Draco chortled, thinking about that episode in the dungeon's common room, "Every time she called him _eloquent_ , I wondered if she knew the meaning of the word. Pansy's vocabulary wasn't so articulate, to be honest."

"He _was_ eloquent." She bobbed her head slightly. "Until I discovered what a coward he was. He stole someone else's bravery and sold it as his own." Hermione snorted in a very un-feminine fashion. Draco sniggered. But then she pondered on his tone, catching onto what lay behind it. "Wait a minute, were you jealous of Lockhart's charm with the ladies?"

With a snap of a finger, the roles were reversed. "Of course not!" Apparently offended, the blond rolled his eyes. "I _knew_ he was a fraud."

Hermione halted at the edge of the temple. "Oh, did you now? Did your father tell you so?" She tilted her head, brows hiding under the fringe of her bangs.

"No," Draco denied a tad too quickly to be believed, turning around and focussing on the sea without paying attention to the sightseeing. "I didn't need my father to recognise a tosser like Lockhart from miles away. Me, jealous? What an insult."

"You're so cute when you're trying to weasel away from the truth." Hermione snaked her arms around his waist and looked over his shoulder at the marvellous, expansive view. The Buddha was surrounded by green mountains, endless sea and bright blue sky. She felt the peace trickle down into her pores under the warm sunlight.

"Alright, I confess. I might have been _somewhat_ envious that all the female attention went to that lying, sleazy tosser instead to me, the prince of Slytherin." Draco conceded, covering her hands on his waist with his own palms. Dissatisfied with their position, the blond pulled her around to his front so he became the bigger spoon, planting a kiss on her hair.

"Poor Draco Malfoy." Hermione rotated within the circle of his arms, wrapping her own around his neck. She met his pout with an ear-to-ear smile, shaking with laughter. "My blond git felt insecure."

"It's the second time you're daring your serpent, my love. You _are_ asking for trouble." Instantly, their surroundings disappeared around them. Draco fixed his gaze intently on his witch, lowered his head slowly and caught her lips in a hungry kiss.

"I'm not afraid of snakes." She nibbled his bottom lip in retaliation and couldn't resist needling him further. "Dragons, on the other hand…" Taking a deep breath, the witch turned back towards the sea and sighed contentedly. "Look at how beautiful it is up here."

Draco smelled the saltiness of the sea in the air. "Yes, that's true. I only resent the lunch."

"I knew it." She centred the camera and photographed the extraordinary view. "Accept it as your payback for tricking me into a ride on the cable car. You volunteered for a rabbit food meal, I didn't force you."

The wizard bit tenderly at her earlobe. "Witch."

She grinned cheekily.

-oOo-

Ross gave the group a half hour to walk around Ngong Ping Village. Compared to the authenticity of _Tai O_ beneath, this shopping village didn't impress Draco in the least. Too neat, too modern and not interesting at all.

Plus, when they found the _Bodhi Tree_ , or as Ross explained, a wishing tree full of red placards pleading for the fulfilment of a wish, Draco was slightly bummed not to be allowed to hang one of his own. Yet, behind the groups back, including Hermione's, under the pretence of a sanitary stop, he conjured a similar placate, engraved his wish and levitated it onto the very top. Ross also mentioned that the higher the placate hung, the more likely it was for the wish to come true. He hooked his at the very top.

"You couldn't control yourself, could you?" Draco shook his head at Hermione's admonition, _I should have known that this witch wasn't to be fooled by a lame pee break excuse._

"Nobody saw me. I concealed myself." The blond shrugged, lining up for the one event he longed to see the most out of today's trip.

"What did you wish for?" Hermione murmured, tensing the hold she had on his hand, involuntarily. The closer she got to the platform, the less self-assured she felt.

"I can't tell you. Otherwise, my wish will not be fulfilled." Feeling the stress boiling underneath her skin, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders for reassurance. Draco rubbed a thumb tantalisingly over her collarbone.

"Has said nobody, except Draco 'ferret' Malfoy." She grumped, thankful that it was almost their turn, with only two couples ahead of them.

"The next gondola is a Crystal cabin. Do you want to skip a turn and board the next normal gondola?" Studying the cable car's sequence, he suggested the alternative, meeting his promise to her.

 _I've come this far, already._ Hermione hesitated and weighed her options. Instead of answering, she moved through the turnstile and readied to board the glass-floored gondola. "Don't you dare to release my hand." She entered, sat down and caught Draco's left hand in a vice grip.

The wizard withdrew his hand, though not an easy feat as she refused to let go. Barely a second later, the blond replaced his left hand with the right, to have his arm free to wrap around her shoulders. Grounding her. Reassuring her. "Remember? How I described to you the Amazon of St. Lucia inside the aerial tram?" He felt her nod against his neck, leaning in for reassurance. "That's how we'll do it. You won't look down. Instead, you'll listen to my voice."

As the cable car started its slow descent, Draco looked behind him, bent to grab the camera from her bag and hand it to his fiancee. "Take a picture of the Buddha, Hermione. It's so colossal that it looks as if he's sitting on the top of the trees. You can see the altar rising higher than the greenery."

Wholeheartedly agreeing with his assessment and eagerly accepting the offered distraction, she snapped a picture of the impressive view, handing the camera back afterwards.

Draco rubbed her arm calmly, studying the ground beneath their feet. He was dying to take a picture of the sights below, dangling the camera with one hand. But his restrained movements didn't facilitate the job. "Oh, Draco, just take the damn picture." Hermione scowled, knowing what he wanted and unwrapping the arm from around her shoulders.

Hearing the tell-tale click, she fixed her gaze on the wizard until he resumed his arm's earlier position. He continued his explanation, easing her frayed nerves. "Remember how the clouds encased the Three Sisters mountains in Australia? We'll be descending through a similar landscape."

His description awakened her curiosity. Hermione lifted her head from his shoulder, concluding that as long as she didn't look through the floor, the outside views were worth watching. Draco grinned, planting another kiss on her head, "Don't you agree with my opinion, love?"

"I guess so." Shifting in her seat, she leaned her back against this chest.

"Don't look down, but we could have hiked our way up." Draco saw people beneath trekking on a wooden path.

"That must be the Ngong Ping trail." Hermione kept her gaze glued forward. "If I knew it beforehand, I could have done that instead." She saw it mentioned on a leaflet from the Village, but by then she'd decided not to spoil Draco's growing excitement.

"I hope we have a few more hikes ahead on our cruise. I really enjoy discovering places that way." The Diamond Head trail came quickly to Draco's mind, longing after a similar adventure. The next part of the descent stilled his thoughts. "Merlin's beard, look at the contrast. We left a monastery behind us, all peace and quiet, and now I see a sea of glass and grey steel. One tower bigger than the next."

"You're starting to become more eloquent than Lockhart, Draco," Hermione quipped. The wizard described perfectly how their cable car approached modern Hong Kong ahead. A plane was about to land on the strip. She grinned at his arched eyebrow and the witch threw her arms in the air, "I couldn't have described it better!"

Yet, when they arrived closer to the airport, the sight beneath demanded the Gryffindor's attention with its brownish colours. The seawater was bright, and the bottom became a game of blue-green tones mixed with sandy brown, small river arms spreading between swathes of green trees.

"Nature at its finest, if you ask me," pleased with her interest and the liberation it brought. With both arms free, he angled the camera again to photograph the wetlands beneath. "I would have done this journey differently today if the excursion were up to me. Starting at the fishing village, hike the trail all the way up to the monastery. Descend as we're doing now."

"You should write an owl to P&O and suggest the new itinerary." By now, the gondola didn't descend anymore, but continued on a flat journey towards the _Tung Chung_ terminal.

"Bah, no. Why would I? Would it bring profit to me?" He set the camera away, lacing their fingers together ahead of disembarking. The cable car clicked as it passed through the turning platform. "Will you call me lazy if I nap a little between this and our next tour? The mountain air has exhausted me a bit."

"We'll nap together." They had two hours before the next excursion, which included the Symphony of Lights.

-oOo-

Hermione threw her sweaty clothes into the hamper. "Mmm, Draco?"

A muted _Yes?_ sounded through the closed bathroom doors.

"The rabbit's food lunch wasn't so bad, was it?" Hermione fell backwards on the bed with a sigh, arms extended wide, spread-eagle. She grinned when it remained dubiously silent. Draco wasn't able to deny that the vegetarian lunch at the Monastery had, in fact, been quite delicious.

When the Slytherin enjoyed a meal, he ate his plate empty unless his stomach got full, a habit avidly developed at the ever-full tables of Hogwarts's Great Hall. Otherwise, after a few bites, the wizard would shove the dish away, as soon as his hunger was satisfied. "The stir-fry with the sugar snaps, _pak choi_ and big mushrooms was tasty. The crunchiness added an extra dimension too," she pressed.

She could almost hear him flush, the silence speaking louder than any words. Hermione continued to goad him, unable to resist. "I saw how you devoured the rice, so don't you dare to contradict me, either!"

Draco exited the bathroom dressed in his sleeping shorts, chest tantalizingly bare. "Yes, I enjoyed it," he bit out. "It was no rabbit food. I consider rabbit food those bowls filled with salad, shredded carrots, tomatoes, and Merlin knows what else, which just kills the hunger for about an hour." He climbed into the bed, lied on his back, claiming one of her arms as his personal pillow. He sighed in defeat. "It tasted delicious. The spring rolls were tasty, and even that mock-chicken thing you call tufu with lemon sauce was delectable."

Hermione gave a muffled squeak, as Draco had pinched her in the thigh to show his pique. "Hey, you're not playing fair." She furrowed her forehead, mock-pouting.

"You want me to admit I liked to eat a vegetarian meal, you wicked witch." Nibbling her jaw softly, he curled around her frame, finding on her chest a new fluffy pillow to rest his head on. "We can nap for an hour and a half, maximum. Fire up our Firebolts for tonight's spectacle." Draco flicked his wand to close the curtains, cast a _Tempus_ charm to set up an awaking time, and supported on his arm one last time to kiss her. "Rest for now."

"Yes, old man…" Hermione nagged. In the end, she was the first to fall asleep.


End file.
